The Role of Maternal Vitamin D Deficiency in Offspring Obesity: A Narrative Review

Combination effects of environmental tobacco smoke exposure and nutrients supplement during pregnancy on obesity in Chinese preschool children

Objective

This study aimed to explore the combination effects of prenatal exposure to environment tobacco smoke (ETS) and nutrients supplement during pregnancy on childhood obesity in preschoolers.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 58,814 child-mother dyads from 235 kindergartens in Longhua District of Shenzhen, China in 2021. A self-administered structured questionnaire was completed by mothers to collect socio-demographic characteristics, prenatal ETS exposure, and nutrients supplement in pregnancy, and preschoolers' heights and weights were measured at the same time. After controlling for potential confounding variables, logistic regression models and cross-analyses were used to examine the independent and combination effects of maternal prenatal ETS exposure and nutrients supplementation during pregnancy on obesity in preschool children.

Results

The results of our study showed that prenatal ETS exposure increased the risk of childhood obesity (AOR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.11-1.34) in preschoolers. In addition, risk of childhood obesity was significantly higher when mothers didn't take supplements of multivitamins (AOR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.05-1.20), folic acid (AOR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.10-1.37) and iron (AOR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.04-1.19) during pregnancy. The cross-over analysis showed that the combination of prenatal ETS exposure with mothers taking no multivitamins (AOR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.21-1.62), no folic acid (AOR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.12-2.14) and no iron (AOR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.19-1.59) during pregnancy also increased the risk of obesity among Chinese preschoolers. We also discovered additive interactive effects between prenatal ETS exposure and no maternal multivitamin, folic acid and iron supplementation in pregnancy on the risk of obesity in preschoolers.

Conclusion

The combination of prenatal exposure to ETS with no supplementation of these nutrients might jointly increase the risk of childhood obesity. Public health interventions are needed to reduce prenatal exposure to ETS and to encourage mothers to take appropriate multivitamin, folic acid and iron supplements during pregnancy.

Effect of probiotic administration during pregnancy on the functional diversity of the gut microbiota in healthy pregnant women

Our study aims to investigate the impact of probiotic consumption during pregnancy on gut microbiota functional diversity in healthy pregnant women. Thirty-two pregnant women were randomly assigned to two groups. The probiotic group (PG) consisted of pregnant women who consumed triple viable Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus delbrueckii bulgaricus, and Streptococcus thermophilus tablets from the 32nd week of pregnancy until delivery. The functional profiles of the gut microbiota were predicted through high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing results using PICRUSt software and referencing the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. In the gut microbiota of the PG, the genera Blautia and Ruminococcus, as well as the species Subdoligranulum, showed significantly higher relative abundances compared to the control group (CG) (P < 0.05). At Level 1 of the KEGG signaling pathways, there was a significant reduction in the functional genes of the gut microbiota involved in Organismal Systems in the PG (P < 0.05). In Level 2 of the KEGG signaling pathways, there was a significant reduction in the functional genes of the gut microbiota involved in Infectious Disease in the PG (P < 0.05). In Level 3 of the KEGG signaling pathways, the PG exhibited a significant increase in the functional genes of the gut microbiota involved in ABC transporters, Oxidative phosphorylation, Folate biosynthesis, and Biotin metabolism (P < 0.05). The CG showed a significant increase in the functional genes related to Cysteine and methionine metabolism, Vitamin B6 metabolism, Tuberculosis, and Vibrio cholerae pathogenic cycle (P < 0.05). In conclusion, our findings suggest that probiotic supplementation during pregnancy has a significant impact on functional metabolism in healthy pregnant women.

IMPORTANCE

Probiotics are considered beneficial to human health. There is limited understanding of how probiotic consumption during pregnancy affects the functional diversity of the gut microbiota. The aim of our study is to investigate the impact of probiotic consumption during pregnancy on the functional diversity of the gut microbiota. Our findings suggest that probiotic supplementation during pregnancy has a significant impact on functional metabolism. This could potentially open up new avenues for preventing various pregnancy-related complications. This also provides new insights into the effects of probiotic consumption during pregnancy on the gut microbiota and offers a convenient method for exploring the potential mechanisms underlying the impact of probiotics on the gut microbiota of pregnant women.

Close Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet during Pregnancy Decreases Childhood Overweight/Obesity: A Prospective Study

The study of dietary patterns during pregnancy may be of great importance for determining the potential risk of obesity in childhood. We assessed the prospective association between maternal adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) during pregnancy and risk of childhood overweight/obesity at 4 years. This prospective analysis involved 272 mother-child pairs from the ECLIPSES study. Maternal diet during pregnancy was assessed using a validated 45-item food-frequency questionnaire and a relative whole-pregnancy MedDiet score (rMedDiet) was calculated. The children's weight and height were measured at the age of 4. Primary outcome was childhood overweight/obesity based on age- and-sex-specific BMI z-score > 85th percentile using the WHO child growth standards. Mean maternal rMedDiet score in pregnancy was 9.8 (±standard deviation 2.3) and 25.7% of the children were overweight/obese. Significant differences in anthropometric measurements (weight, height, and BMI) were found according to sex, with higher scores for boys. After controlling for potential confounders, greater maternal adherence to rMedDiet during pregnancy was associated with a lower risk of childhood overweight/obesity, highest vs. lowest quartile (OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.12-0.90; p-trend 0.037). Similar trends regarding this association (per 1-point increase rMedDiet score) were observed after stratification by advanced maternal age, maternal early pregnancy BMI, education, socioeconomic status, smoking, and gestational weight gain. Our findings suggest that closer adherence to the MedDiet during pregnancy may protect against the risk of offspring overweight/obesity at 4 years. Further research is needed to explore whether associations persist across the life course.

Interplay between Vitamin D and Adipose Tissue: Implications for Adipogenesis and Adipose Tissue Function

Adipose tissue encompasses various types, including White Adipose Tissue (WAT), Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT), and beige adipose tissue, each having distinct roles in energy storage and thermogenesis. Vitamin D (VD), a fat-soluble vitamin, maintains a complex interplay with adipose tissue, exerting significant effects through its receptor (VDR) on the normal development and functioning of adipocytes. The VDR and associated metabolic enzymes are widely expressed in the adipocytes of both rodents and humans, and they partake in the regulation of fat metabolism and functionality through various pathways. These encompass adipocyte differentiation, adipogenesis, inflammatory responses, and adipokine synthesis and secretion. This review primarily appraises the role and mechanisms of VD in different adipocyte differentiation, lipid formation, and inflammatory responses, concentrating on the pivotal role of the VD/VDR pathway in adipogenesis. This insight furnishes new perspectives for the development of micronutrient-related intervention strategies in the prevention and treatment of obesity.

The effect of maternal vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy on glycolipid metabolism of offspring rats and the improvement of vitamin D intervention after weaning

Background

Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is common, but whether maternal vitamin D status affects glycolipid metabolism of offspring remains unclear.

Objective

To evaluate the effect of maternal vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy on the glycolipid metabolism of offspring at different life-cycles (from birth to adulthood) and to explore the improvement of different dosages of vitamin D supplementation.

Methods

Sprague-Dawley rats were fed vitamin D-deprived (VDD group) or standard vitamin D diets (SC group) during pregnancy, and their diets were changed to standard vitamin D diets during lactation (the offspring were sorted into VDDoffspring and SCoffspring groups). After weaning, rats in the VDDoffspring group were randomly assigned to the VDDoffspring, VDDoffspring-S3300 and VDDoffspring-S10000 groups with diets containing standard, medium and high dosages of vitamin D for 12 wk. Serum was collected for biochemical analyses at postnatal Day 21, postnatal Day 56 and postnatal Day 84. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed at postnatal Day 70.

Results

Compared to SCoffspring, rats in the VDDoffspring group had significantly lower birth weight with faster weight gain and higher levels of lipid metabolism in early life. After near adulthood, the differences in weight and lipid metabolism between the two groups disappeared. OGTT showed significantly higher blood glucose levels in the VDDoffspring group at 30 min, 60 min, and 90 min. The continuation of vitamin D supplementation at medium and high dosages after weaning did not cause any obvious changes in weight or glycolipid metabolism (except for postprandial hyperglycemia). OGTT demonstrated that the glucose levels in the VDDoffspring-S3300 group were lowest at all the time points and that those in the VDDoffspring-S10000 group were the highest at 30 min, 60 min, and 90 min among the three groups.

Conclusion

The adverse effects of vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy on glycolipid metabolism in offspring vary in different stages. Over a long time period, adequate vitamin D supplementation is beneficial to glycolipid metabolism for the offspring of subjects with vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy; however, further improvement is required.

The Effect of Maternal Dietary Patterns on Birth Weight for Gestational Age: Findings from the MAMI-MED Cohort

Limited evidence exists on the effects of maternal dietary patterns on birth weight, and most studies conducted so far did not adjust their findings for gestational age and sex, leading to potentially biased conclusions. In the present study, we applied a novel method, namely the clustering on principal components, to derive dietary patterns among 667 pregnant women from Catania (Italy) and to evaluate the associations with birth weight for gestational age. We identified two clusters reflecting distinct dietary patterns: the first one was mainly characterized by plant-based foods (e.g., potatoes, cooked and raw vegetables, legumes, soup, fruits, nuts, rice, wholemeal bread), fish and white meat, eggs, butter and margarine, coffee and tea; the second one consisted mainly of junk foods (sweets, dips, salty snacks, and fries), pasta, white bread, milk, vegetable and olive oils. Regarding small gestational age births, the main predictors were employment status and primiparity, but not the adherence to dietary patterns. By contrast, women belonging to cluster 2 had higher odds of large for gestational age (LGA) births than those belonging to cluster 1 (OR = 2.213; 95%CI = 1.047-4.679; p = 0.038). Moreover, the odds of LGA increased by nearly 11% for each one-unit increase in pregestational BMI (OR = 1.107; 95%CI = 1.053-1.163; p < 0.001). To our knowledge, the present study is the first to highlight a relationship between adherence to an unhealthy dietary pattern and the likelihood of giving birth to a LGA newborn. This evidence adds to the current knowledge about the effects of diet on birth weight, which, however, remains limited and controversial.