Work

Associations of Maternal Prenatal Inflammation With Child Adiposity: The Healthy Start Study

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: While inflammation is a normal physiological process of pregnancy, exposure to excess inflammation in utero may have unfavourable consequences for the offspring's health. This analysis investigated associations of prenatal inflammation with offspring adiposity in early childhood. METHODS: Among 555 mother-offspring pairs in the Healthy Start Study, we measured three inflammation biomarkers-C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-α-at ~28 gestational weeks. We internally standardised each biomarker and took its average as an indicator of overall exposure to prenatal inflammation. When offspring were 4-6 years old, we measured weight and height for body mass index (BMI) z-score calculation; waist circumference; and % fat mass (%FM) using air displacement plethysmography. In the analysis, we used linear regression to examine associations of the prenatal inflammation z-score with offspring outcomes. As an exploratory analysis, we conducted stratified analysis by maternal race/ethnicity, which is known to modify associations in maternal-child health studies. RESULTS: After adjusting for offspring age and sex, each increment in the prenatal inflammation z-score corresponded with 0.31 (95% CI: 0.14, 0.48) higher BMI z-score, 1.43 (0.61, 2.25) cm higher waist circumference and 1.47 (0.43, 2.51) higher %FM in offspring. Further adjustment for maternal pre-pregnancy BMI attenuated estimates to the null for BMI z-score and waist circumference, but less for %FM (0.77 [-0.39, 1.94]; p = 0.19). These associations were driven by Hispanic mother-offspring pairs. CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal inflammation may predispose offspring to greater adiposity during early childhood. This association is partially explained by maternal BMI and driven by participants of Hispanic ethnicity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT #002273297.

Source: Pediatric Obesity

DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.70088

Authors: Makayla Moran, Kyle Salmon, Satvinder K. Dhaliwal, Dana Dabelea, Wei Perng

Institutions: University of Colorado Anschutz, University of Colorado Denver, Colorado School of Public Health

Language: English

Topic: Birth, Development, and Health

Subfield: Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases