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Session: From the Womb to the World: Impact of Prenatal and Perinatal Exposures on Offspring Outcomes (Oral 21)

(OR21-03-23) Associations Between Prenatal and Postnatal Factors and Child Adiposity at 5 Years of Age in a Longitudinal, Observational Cohort

Monday, July 24, 2023

4:24 PM – 4:36 PM ET

Location: Constitution B

Presenting Author(s)

Aline Andres, PhD

Professor of Pediatrics
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Co-Author(s)

DM

Diamond McGehee, PhD

Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center
Little Rock, Arkansas, United States
CS

Clark R. Sims, PhD

Assistant Staff Scientist
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
LIttle Rock, Arkansas, United States
DT

Donald E. Turner, BS

Research Associate
Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center
Little Rock, Arkansas, United States
ED

Eva C. Diaz, MD

Assistant Professor
Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, Arkansas, United States
SS

Sarah Sobik

Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center
KT

Keshari Thakali, Ph.D.

Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center
Little Rock, Arkansas, United States
RK

Rebecca A. Krukowski, PhD

University of Virginia
KS

Kartik Shankar, PhD

Professor
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Aurora, Colorado, United States
KW

Keith Williams, PhD

Professor, Biostatistician
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, Arkansas, United States
EB

Elisabet Børsheim, PhD

UAMS / Arkansas Children's Research Institute
Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

Disclosure(s):

Aline Andres, PhD: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify prenatal and postnatal factors that influence child adiposity at age 5 years.

Methods: Participants from a longitudinal cohort (NCT01131117) were invited to participate in a follow-up study visit at age 5 years (n = 102 mother/child dyads of which n=68 had triads data [mother/father/child]). Children were assessed at age 5 years. Mothers were assessed either < 10 weeks of gestation (early pregnancy) or every 6 weeks during gestation (average gestation). Fathers were assessed during gestation (65%). Anthropometrics, body composition (air displacement plethysmography for parents and quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance for children), dietary records (Nutrition Data System for Research), physical activity (tri-axial accelerometer), and resting energy expenditure (indirect calorimetry) measures were obtained using standardized protocols. Fasted blood samples were collected for biochemical analyses. Variable selection was performed using best subsets and LASSO regressions.

Results: Bivariate analyses identified that child adiposity (fat mass, %) at age 5 years is associated with early pregnancy maternal fat mass (%, β = 0.219, p=0.02), paternal C-reactive protein serum levels (mg/l, β = 0.512, p< 0.01), child male sex (β = -6.615, p < 0.001 ), child time in sedentary activity (minutes/day, β = 0.014, p=0.048), child time in vigorous activity (minutes/day, β = -0.108, p=0.011), fasted child serum leptin (pg/ml, β = 0.0034, p< 0.001) and fasted child serum insulin (pg/ml, β = 0.023, p=0.034). The best subset selection model identified that child adiposity (fat mass, %) at 5 years was significantly associated with early pregnancy maternal fat mass (%, β = 0.405, p < 0.001 ), early pregnancy maternal fat-free mass (kg, β = 0.358, p = 0.032), maternal average gestational resting energy expenditure (kcal/d, β = -0.014, p = 0.017), maternal average gestational interleukin-6 (pg/ml, β = -3.33, p = 0.020), non-Caucasian race (β = -3.90, p = 0.009) and male child sex (β = -7.63, p < 0.001).

Conclusions: Strategies to prevent excessive maternal pre-conception weight prior to conception and to modulate maternal metabolism during gestation may impact the future risk of childhood obesity.

Funding Sources: USDA-ARS Project 6026-51000-010-05S