The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

The relationship between maternal adiposity and infant weight gain, and childhood wheeze and atopy

The relationship between maternal adiposity and infant weight gain, and childhood wheeze and atopy
The relationship between maternal adiposity and infant weight gain, and childhood wheeze and atopy
BACKGROUND: Obesity and asthma have increased in westernised countries. Maternal obesity may increase childhood asthma risk. If this relation is causal, it may be mediated through factors associated with maternal adiposity, such as fetal development, pregnancy complications or infant adiposity. We investigated the relationships of maternal body mass index (BMI) and fat mass with childhood wheeze, and examined the influences of infant weight gain and childhood obesity. METHODS: Maternal prepregnancy BMI and estimated fat mass (from skinfold thicknesses) were related to asthma, wheeze and atopy in 940 children. Transient or persistent/late wheeze was classified using questionnaire data collected at ages 6, 12, 24 and 36 months and 6 years. At 6 years, skin-prick testing was conducted and exhaled nitric oxide and spirometry measured. Infant adiposity gain was calculated from skinfold thickness at birth and 6 months. RESULTS: Greater maternal BMI and fat mass were associated with increased childhood wheeze (relative risk (RR) 1.08 per 5 kg/m(2), p=0.006; RR 1.09 per 10 kg, p=0.003); these reflected associations with transient wheeze (RR 1.11, p=0.003; RR 1.13, p=0.002, respectively), but not with persistent wheeze or asthma. Infant adiposity gain was associated with persistent wheeze, but not significantly. Adjusting for infant adiposity gain or BMI at 3 or 6 years did not reduce the association between maternal adiposity and transient wheeze. Maternal adiposity was not associated with offspring atopy, exhaled nitric oxide, or spirometry. DISCUSSION: Greater maternal adiposity is associated with transient wheeze but not asthma or atopy, suggesting effects upon airway structure/function but not allergic predisposition.
0040-6376
372-379
Pike, Katharine C.
10be90c8-73de-416e-a2d0-0bb7e7276bd3
Inskip, Hazel M.
5fb4470a-9379-49b2-a533-9da8e61058b7
Robinson, Sian M.
ba591c98-4380-456a-be8a-c452f992b69b
Cooper, Cyrus
e05f5612-b493-4273-9b71-9e0ce32bdad6
Godfrey, Keith M.
0931701e-fe2c-44b5-8f0d-ec5c7477a6fd
Roberts, Graham
ea00db4e-84e7-4b39-8273-9b71dbd7e2f3
Lucas, Jane S.A.
5cb3546c-87b2-4e59-af48-402076e25313
Pike, Katharine C.
10be90c8-73de-416e-a2d0-0bb7e7276bd3
Inskip, Hazel M.
5fb4470a-9379-49b2-a533-9da8e61058b7
Robinson, Sian M.
ba591c98-4380-456a-be8a-c452f992b69b
Cooper, Cyrus
e05f5612-b493-4273-9b71-9e0ce32bdad6
Godfrey, Keith M.
0931701e-fe2c-44b5-8f0d-ec5c7477a6fd
Roberts, Graham
ea00db4e-84e7-4b39-8273-9b71dbd7e2f3
Lucas, Jane S.A.
5cb3546c-87b2-4e59-af48-402076e25313

Pike, Katharine C., Inskip, Hazel M., Robinson, Sian M., Cooper, Cyrus, Godfrey, Keith M., Roberts, Graham and Lucas, Jane S.A. (2013) The relationship between maternal adiposity and infant weight gain, and childhood wheeze and atopy. Thorax, 68 (4), 372-379. (doi:10.1136/thoraxjnl-2012-202556). (PMID:23291350)

Record type: Article

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Obesity and asthma have increased in westernised countries. Maternal obesity may increase childhood asthma risk. If this relation is causal, it may be mediated through factors associated with maternal adiposity, such as fetal development, pregnancy complications or infant adiposity. We investigated the relationships of maternal body mass index (BMI) and fat mass with childhood wheeze, and examined the influences of infant weight gain and childhood obesity. METHODS: Maternal prepregnancy BMI and estimated fat mass (from skinfold thicknesses) were related to asthma, wheeze and atopy in 940 children. Transient or persistent/late wheeze was classified using questionnaire data collected at ages 6, 12, 24 and 36 months and 6 years. At 6 years, skin-prick testing was conducted and exhaled nitric oxide and spirometry measured. Infant adiposity gain was calculated from skinfold thickness at birth and 6 months. RESULTS: Greater maternal BMI and fat mass were associated with increased childhood wheeze (relative risk (RR) 1.08 per 5 kg/m(2), p=0.006; RR 1.09 per 10 kg, p=0.003); these reflected associations with transient wheeze (RR 1.11, p=0.003; RR 1.13, p=0.002, respectively), but not with persistent wheeze or asthma. Infant adiposity gain was associated with persistent wheeze, but not significantly. Adjusting for infant adiposity gain or BMI at 3 or 6 years did not reduce the association between maternal adiposity and transient wheeze. Maternal adiposity was not associated with offspring atopy, exhaled nitric oxide, or spirometry. DISCUSSION: Greater maternal adiposity is associated with transient wheeze but not asthma or atopy, suggesting effects upon airway structure/function but not allergic predisposition.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: 3 January 2013
Organisations: Faculty of Medicine

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 347044
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/347044
ISSN: 0040-6376
PURE UUID: c3ec89b2-a934-4acb-ab7b-e9e2ac6b3306
ORCID for Hazel M. Inskip: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-8897-1749
ORCID for Sian M. Robinson: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1766-7269
ORCID for Cyrus Cooper: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-3510-0709
ORCID for Keith M. Godfrey: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-4643-0618
ORCID for Graham Roberts: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-2252-1248
ORCID for Jane S.A. Lucas: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-8701-9975

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 21 Jan 2013 12:56
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 03:01

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Katharine C. Pike
Author: Hazel M. Inskip ORCID iD
Author: Sian M. Robinson ORCID iD
Author: Cyrus Cooper ORCID iD
Author: Graham Roberts ORCID iD
Author: Jane S.A. Lucas ORCID iD

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×