Mother’s Obesity Contributes to Newborn’s Higher Body Fat

A new study has found for the first time that as Americans are gaining more body fat so are their babies. The research, which reviewed data from more than 74,000 births, found that a key measure of body fat composition in newborns increased significantly over a 15-year period, mirroring similar increases among pregnant mothers. The findings were recently presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting.

According to the study, as the body mass index (BMI) of pregnant mothers increased between 1990 and 2005 so did a measure of body fat composition in newborns known as the ponderal index. This is a measure of BMI for the newborn, which means the child’s body may be composed of more fat.

“Healthcare providers need to pay closer attention to the body mass index of women before they get pregnant and equal attention to how much weight they gain during the pregnancy,” said lead investigator Felix Okah, MD, MS, a professor of pediatrics and director of the Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Program at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics. “Adult diseases like obesity may have their foundation during the fetal period, so efforts to safeguard the health of the fetus could translate to future adult health for these newborns.”

Obesity has emerged as a serious public health problem in the United States. The trend is reflected in a heavier BMI among women getting pregnant, which is particularly troubling because it can contribute to complications during pregnancy and may set the stage for future obesity in the child.

Source: Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics