Maternal education prospectively predicts child neurocognitive function: An environmental influences on child health outcomes study

A large body of research has established a relation between maternal education and children's neurocognitive functions, such as executive function and language. However, most studies have focused on early childhood and relatively few studies have examined associations with changes in maternal education over time. Consequently, it remains unclear if early maternal education is longitudinally related to neurocognitive functions in children, adolescents, and young adults. In addition, the associations between changes in maternal education across development and more broadly defined neurocognitive outcomes remain relatively untested. The current study leveraged a large multicohort sample to examine the longitudinal relations between perinatal maternal education and changes in maternal education during development with children's, adolescents', and young adults' neurocognitive functions (N = 2,688; Mage = 10.32 years; SDage = 4.26; range = 3-20 years). Moreover, we examined the differential effects of perinatal maternal education and changes in maternal education across development on executive function and language performance. Perinatal maternal education was positively associated with children's later overall neurocognitive function. This longitudinal relation was stronger for language than executive function. In addition, increases in maternal education were related to improved language performance but were not associated with executive functioning performance. Our findings support perinatal maternal education as an important predictor of neurocognitive outcomes later in development. Moreover, our results suggest that examining how maternal education changes across development can provide important insights that can help inform policies and interventions designed to foster neurocognitive development. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Maternal Diet Quality During Pregnancy and Offspring Hepatic Fat in Early Childhood: The Healthy Start Study

BACKGROUND

Overnutrition in utero may increase offspring risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but the specific contribution of maternal diet quality during pregnancy to this association remains understudied in humans.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to examine the associations of maternal diet quality during pregnancy with offspring hepatic fat in early childhood (median: 5 y old, range: 4-8 y old).

METHODS

Data were from 278 mother-child pairs in the longitudinal, Colorado-based Healthy Start Study. Multiple 24-h recalls were collected from mothers during pregnancy on a monthly basis (median: 3 recalls, range: 1-8 recalls starting after enrollment), and used to estimate maternal usual nutrient intakes and dietary pattern scores [Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010), Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), and Relative Mediterranean Diet Score (rMED)]. Offspring hepatic fat was measured in early childhood by MRI. Associations of maternal dietary predictors during pregnancy with offspring log-transformed hepatic fat were assessed using linear regression models adjusted for offspring demographics, maternal/perinatal confounders, and maternal total energy intake.

RESULTS

Higher maternal fiber intake and rMED scores during pregnancy were associated with lower offspring hepatic fat in early childhood in fully adjusted models [Back-transformed β (95% CI): 0.82 (0.72, 0.94) per 5 g/1000 kcal fiber; 0.93 (0.88, 0.99) per 1 SD for rMED]. In contrast, higher maternal total sugar and added sugar intakes, and DII scores were associated with higher offspring hepatic fat [Back-transformed β (95% CI): 1.18 (1.05, 1.32) per 5% kcal/d added sugar; 1.08 (0.99, 1.18) per 1 SD for DII]. Analyses of dietary pattern subcomponents also revealed that lower maternal intakes of green vegetables and legumes and higher intake of "empty calories" were associated with higher offspring hepatic fat in early childhood.

CONCLUSIONS

Poorer maternal diet quality during pregnancy was associated with greater offspring susceptibility to hepatic fat in early childhood. Our findings provide insights into potential perinatal targets for the primordial prevention of pediatric NAFLD.

Associations between Prenatal and Postnatal Exposure to Cannabis with Cognition and Behavior at Age 5 Years: The Healthy Start Study

BACKGROUND

Prenatal exposure to cannabis may influence childhood cognition and behavior, but the epidemiologic evidence is mixed. Even less is known about the potential impact of secondhand exposure to cannabis during early childhood.

OBJECTIVE

This study sought to assess whether prenatal and/or postnatal exposure to cannabis was associated with childhood cognition and behavior.

STUDY DESIGN

This sub-study included a convenience sample of 81 mother-child pairs from a Colorado-based cohort. Seven common cannabinoids (including delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD)) and their metabolites were measured in maternal urine collected mid-gestation and child urine collected at age 5 years. Prenatal and postnatal exposure to cannabis was dichotomized as exposed (detection of any cannabinoid) and not exposed. Generalized linear models examined the associations between prenatal or postnatal exposure to cannabis with the NIH Toolbox and Child Behavior Checklist T-scores at age 5 years.

RESULTS

In this study, 7% (n = 6) of the children had prenatal exposure to cannabis and 12% (n = 10) had postnatal exposure to cannabis, with two children experiencing this exposure at both time points. The most common cannabinoid detected in pregnancy was Δ9-THC, whereas the most common cannabinoid detected in childhood was CBD. Postnatal exposure to cannabis was associated with more aggressive behavior (β: 3.2; 95% CI: 0.5, 5.9), attention deficit/hyperactivity problems (β: 8.0; 95% CI: 2.2, 13.7), and oppositional/defiant behaviors (β: 3.2; 95% CI: 0.2, 6.3), as well as less cognitive flexibility (β: -15.6; 95% CI: -30.0, -1.2) and weaker receptive language (β: -9.7; 95% CI: -19.2, -0.3). By contrast, prenatal exposure to cannabis was associated with fewer internalizing behaviors (mean difference: -10.2; 95% CI: -20.3, -0.2) and fewer somatic complaints (mean difference: -5.2, 95% CI: -9.8, -0.6).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that postnatal exposure to cannabis is associated with more behavioral and cognitive problems among 5-year-old children, independent of prenatal and postnatal exposure to tobacco. The potential risks of cannabis use (including smoking and vaping) during pregnancy and around young children should be more widely communicated to parents.

Acceptance of a Novel Food is Related to Caregiver Perceptions of Infant and Toddler Food-related Receptive Language

OBJECTIVE

Language development, both what is understood (receptive language) and spoken (expressive language), is considered critical to a child's ability to understand and interact with their environment. However, little research has investigated the role children's early language skills might play in their food acceptance. The objective of this study was to explore the relationships between young children's food-related receptive language (FRL) and food-related expressive language (FEL) and acceptance of novel food.

METHODS

Caregivers (n = 54) reported their perceptions of children's (aged 7-24 months) FRL and FEL using the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory. Novel food acceptance was observed (grams consumed) during a laboratory visit. Multivariable linear regression tested associations between FRL, FEL, and novel food acceptance, by child age (infants [aged from 7 to < 12 months], toddlers [aged 12-24 months]), and at a significance level of P < 0.1 for hypothesis-generating research.

RESULTS

Children's FRL and food acceptance differed by age (F = 8.08, P = 0.01). Among toddlers, greater FRL was associated with greater novel food acceptance (0.22 g [95% confidence interval, -0.04 to 0.49]), P = 0.09). In infants, greater FRL was associated with lower novel food acceptance (-0.80 g [95% confidence interval, -1.53 to -0.07], P = 0.03). No association between FEL and novel food acceptance was noted in either group.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Toddlers' understanding of food-related vocabulary may facilitate food acceptance; however, young infants may not yet have sufficient FRL to facilitate novel food acceptance.

Fetal Exposure to Cannabis and Childhood Metabolic Outcomes: The Healthy Start Study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of fetal exposure to cannabis on adiposity and glucose-insulin traits in early life.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We leveraged a subsample of 103 mother-child pairs from Healthy Start, an ethnically diverse Colorado-based cohort. Twelve cannabinoids/metabolites of cannabis (including Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol) were measured in maternal urine collected at ~27 weeks' gestation. Fetal exposure to cannabis was dichotomized as exposed (any cannabinoid > limit of detection [LOD]) and not exposed (all cannabinoids < LOD). Fat mass and fat-free mass were measured via air displacement plethysmography at follow-up (mean age: 4.7 years). Glucose and insulin were obtained after an overnight fast. Generalized linear models estimated the associations between fetal exposure to cannabis with adiposity measures (fat mass [kg], fat-free mass [kg], adiposity [fat mass percentage], body mass index [BMI], and BMI z-scores) and metabolic measures (glucose [mg/dL], insulin [uIU/mL], and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]).

RESULTS

Approximately 15% of the women had detectable levels of any cannabinoid, indicating fetal exposure to cannabis. Exposed offspring had higher fat mass (1.0 kg; 95% CI, 0.3-1.7), fat-free mass (1.2 kg; 95% CI, 0.4-2.0), adiposity (2.6%; 95% CI, 0.1-5.2), and fasting glucose (5.6 mg/dL; 95% CI, 0.8-10.3) compared with nonexposed offspring. No associations were found with fasting insulin (in the fully adjusted model), HOMA-IR, BMI, or BMI z-scores.

CONCLUSIONS

We provide novel evidence to suggest an association between fetal exposure to cannabis with increased adiposity and fasting glucose in childhood, a finding that should be validated in other cohorts.

Early microvascular complications in type 1 and type 2 diabetes: recent developments and updates

The prevalence of youth-onset diabetes is progressing rapidly worldwide, and poor glycemic control, in combination with prolonged diabetes duration and comorbidities including hypertension, has led to the early development of microvascular complications including diabetic kidney disease, retinopathy, and neuropathy. Pediatric populations with type 1 (T1D) and type 2 (T2D) diabetes are classically underdiagnosed with microvascular complications, and this leads to both undertreatment and insufficient attention to the mitigation of risk factors that could help attenuate further progression of complications and decrease the likelihood for long-term morbidity and mortality. This narrative review aims to present a comprehensive summary of the epidemiology, risk factors, symptoms, screening practices, and treatment options, including future opportunities for treatment advancement, for microvascular complications in youth with T1D and T2D. We seek to uniquely focus on the inherent challenges of managing pediatric populations with diabetes and discuss the similarities and differences between microvascular complications in T1D and T2D, while presenting a strong emphasis on the importance of early identification of at-risk youth. Further investigation of possible treatment mechanisms for microvascular complications in youth with T1D and T2D through dedicated pediatric outcome trials is necessary to target the brief window where early pathological vascular changes may be significantly attenuated.

Infant and Toddler Consumption of Sweetened and Unsweetened Lipid Nutrient Supplements After 2-Week Home Repeated Exposures

BACKGROUND

Small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) are designed to address undernutrition during the complementary feeding period. SQ-LNS contains added sugars, but limited research has assessed whether infants' acceptance varies between versions with and without sugars.

OBJECTIVES

Our objective was to examine the effects of repeated exposure on children's acceptance of sweetened and unsweetened SQ-LNS. We aimed to understand caregivers' perceptions of children's liking of the 2 SQ-LNS versions and their influences on infant acceptance of SQ-LNS.

METHODS

Caregivers (86% non-Hispanic White) and children (7-24 mo), participated in a randomized, 2-week home-exposure study and baseline and post-home exposure assessments. Children were randomized to receive sweetened or unsweetened SQ-LNS versions, mixed with infant oatmeal. At in-person visits, caregivers fed both SQ-LNS versions to children and rated their child's liking for each. Caregivers fed the SQ-LNS version to which their child was randomized until the child refused to eat more. Acceptance was measured as total grams consumed. Mixed-effects linear models tested the change in SQ-LNS consumed between baseline and postexposure by the SQ-LNS version and number of home exposures. Covariates included the amount of SQ-LNS consumed at baseline, child BMI z-score, child age, and breastfeeding experience.

RESULTS

Children's acceptance of both SQ-LNS versions increased from baseline to postexposure (β, 0.71 g; 95% CI: 0.54-0.89 g; P = 0.04), regardless of SQ-LNS version (P = 0.88) or number of home exposures (P = 0.55). Caregivers rated children's liking of unsweetened SQ-LNS higher at baseline (P = 0.02). Children with lower liking ratings at baseline showed the greatest increases in acceptance between baseline and postexposure (P = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Children's acceptance of SQ-LNS increased with repeated exposure, whether offered the sweetened or unsweetened version, providing preliminary support that adding sugar to SQ-LNS may not improve acceptance in young children. Children who initially like the supplement less may need repeated experience to learn to accept SQ-LNS. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT04544332.

Cognitive Function in Adolescents and Young Adults With Youth-Onset Type 1 Versus Type 2 Diabetes: The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study

OBJECTIVE

Poor cognition has been observed in children and adolescents with youth-onset type 1 (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared with control subjects without diabetes. Differences in cognition between youth-onset T1D and T2D, however, are not known. Thus, using data from SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth, a multicenter, observational cohort study, we tested the association between diabetes type and cognitive function in adolescents and young adults with T1D (n = 1,095) or T2D (n = 285).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Cognition was assessed via the National Institutes of Health Toolbox Cognition Battery, and age-corrected composite Fluid Cognition scores were used as the primary outcome. Confounder-adjusted linear regression models were run. Model 1 included diabetes type and clinical site. Model 2 additionally included sex, race/ethnicity, waist-to-height ratio, diabetes duration, depressive symptoms, glycemic control, any hypoglycemic episode in the past year, parental education, and household income. Model 3 additionally included the Picture Vocabulary score, a measure of receptive language and crystallized cognition.

RESULTS

Having T2D was significantly associated with lower fluid cognitive scores before adjustment for confounders (model 1; P < 0.001). This association was attenuated to nonsignificance with the addition of a priori confounders (model 2; P = 0.06) and Picture Vocabulary scores (model 3; P = 0.49). Receptive language, waist-to-height ratio, and depressive symptoms remained significant in the final model (P < 0.01 for all, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that while youth with T2D have worse fluid cognition than youth with T1D, these differences are accounted for by differences in crystallized cognition (receptive language), central adiposity, and mental health. These potentially modifiable factors are also independently associated with fluid cognitive health, regardless of diabetes type. Future studies of cognitive health in people with youth-onset diabetes should focus on investigating these significant factors.

In Utero Exposure to Maternal Overweight or Obesity is Associated with Altered Offspring Brain Function in Middle Childhood

OBJECTIVE

The impact of in utero exposure to maternal overweight and obesity on offspring metabolic health is well documented. Neurodevelopmental outcomes among these children are, however, less well studied. To address this gap, the current study investigated brain function among 4- to 6-year-old children exposed to maternal overweight or obesity during gestation compared with that of children born to mothers with healthy BMI in pregnancy.

METHODS

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to study neuronal activity and connectivity during a passive viewing task (movie) among 101 typically developing children enrolled in the Healthy Start study, a longitudinal prebirth cohort in Colorado.

RESULTS

Forty-nine children (48%) were exposed to maternal overweight or obesity in utero (mean age = 5 years, SD = 0.9). Children born to mothers with overweight or obesity demonstrated hyperactivity in the left posterior cingulate cortex and hypoactivity in the dorsal anterior cingulate and the supplementary motor area (P < 0.05 for all). Children born to mothers with overweight or obesity also showed ubiquitously weaker brain connectivity (P < 0.05 for all).

CONCLUSIONS

These novel results suggest altered brain function among children exposed to maternal overweight and obesity in utero.

Childhood Metabolic Biomarkers Are Associated with Performance on Cognitive Tasks in Young Children

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the hypothesis that metabolic measures (fasting glucose, insulin, and Homeostatic Model of Assessment for Insulin Resistance [HOMA-IR] levels) are inversely associated with performance on cognitive tasks using data from young (4- to 6-year-old), typically developing, healthy children.

STUDY DESIGN

Data were obtained from children participating in the Healthy Start study, a pre-birth cohort in Colorado. HOMA-IR, glucose, and insulin values were centered and scaled using the study sample means and SD. Thus, they are reported in number of SD units from the mean. Fully corrected T scores for inhibitory control (Flanker task), cognitive flexibility (Dimensional Change Card Sort test), and receptive language (Picture Vocabulary test) were obtained via the National Institutes of Health Toolbox cognition battery.

RESULTS

Children included in this analysis (n = 137) were 4.6 years old, on average. Per 1-SD unit, fasting glucose (B = -2.0, 95% CI -3.5, -0.5), insulin (B = -1.7, 95% CI -3.0, -0.4), and HOMA-IR values (B = -1.8, 95% CI -3.1, -0.5) were each significantly and inversely associated with inhibitory control (P < .05 for all, respectively). Fasting glucose levels were also inversely associated with cognitive flexibility (B = -2.0, 95% CI -3.7, -0.2, P = .03).

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that metabolic health may impact fluid cognitive function in healthy, young children.

Eating in the absence of hunger in young children is related to brain reward network hyperactivity and reduced functional connectivity in executive control networks

BACKGROUND

Recent work has implicated disinhibited eating behaviours (DEB) as a potential pathway toward obesity development in children. However, the underlying neurobiology of disinhibited eating behaviours in young, healthy weight children, prior to obesity development, remains unknown.

OBJECTIVES

This study tested the relationship between DEB and intrinsic neuronal activity and connectivity in young children without obesity.

METHODS

Brain networks implicated in overeating including reward, salience and executive control networks, and the default mode network were investigated. DEB was measured by the eating in the absence of hunger (EAH) paradigm with postlunch kilocalories consumed from highly palatable foods (EAH kcal) used as the predictor. Intrinsic neuronal activity within and connectivity between specified networks were measured via resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Eighteen typically developing children (mean age = 5.8 years) were included.

RESULTS

EAH kcal was positively associated with activity of the nucleus accumbens, a major reward network hub (P < 0.05, corrected). EAH kcal was negatively associated with intrinsic prefrontal cortex connectivity to the striatum (P < 0.01, corrected).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that neural aspects of DEB are detectable in young children without obesity, providing a potential tool to better understand the development of obesity in this population.

Infant Adiposity is Independently Associated with a Maternal High Fat Diet but not Related to Niacin Intake: The Healthy Start Study

Objectives Over-nutrition during pregnancy resulting from maternal obesity or an unhealthy diet can lead to excess infant adiposity at birth. Specific dietary macro- and micronutrients have been shown to increase fat cell development in both in-vitro and in-vivo models and may therefore link maternal diet to increased infant adiposity. We hypothesized that high maternal dietary niacin intake during pregnancy, especially in combination with a high-fat diet (HFD) would increase infant adiposity. Methods We included 1040 participants from a pre-birth cohort of mother-infant pairs. Maternal diet was assessed using multiple 24-hour dietary recalls. HFD was defined as ≥30% of calories from fat and ≥12% of fat calories from saturated fat. Neonatal body composition (% fat mass [%FM], fat mass [FM], fat-free mass [FFM]) was measured by PEAPOD. We used multivariate regression to assess the joint effect of maternal dietary niacin and maternal HFD on neonatal body composition. Results Dietary niacin was not associated with neonatal body composition, and maternal HFD did not modify this finding. However, maternal HFD was independently associated with %FM (β = 0.8 [0.1, 1.4]%, p < 0.01] and FM (β = 32.4 [6.7, 58.0] g, p < 0.01). Conclusions for Practice Our results suggest that a HFD during pregnancy may increase infant adiposity, therefore supporting the need for improved diet counseling of pregnant women at both the clinical and community levels.

Maternal obesity alters fatty acid oxidation, AMPK activity, and associated DNA methylation in mesenchymal stem cells from human infants

Objective

Infants born to mothers with obesity have greater adiposity, ectopic fat storage, and are at increased risk for childhood obesity and metabolic disease compared with infants of normal weight mothers, though the cellular mechanisms mediating these effects are unclear.

Methods

We tested the hypothesis that human, umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from infants born to obese (Ob-MSC) versus normal weight (NW-MSC) mothers demonstrate altered fatty acid metabolism consistent with adult obesity. In infant MSCs undergoing myogenesis in vitro, we measured cellular lipid metabolism and AMPK activity, AMPK activation in response to cellular nutrient stress, and MSC DNA methylation and mRNA content of genes related to oxidative metabolism.

Results

We found that Ob-MSCs exhibit greater lipid accumulation, lower fatty acid oxidation (FAO), and dysregulation of AMPK activity when undergoing myogenesis in vitro. Further experiments revealed a clear phenotype distinction within the Ob-MSC group where more severe MSC metabolic perturbation corresponded to greater neonatal adiposity and umbilical cord blood insulin levels. Targeted analysis of DNA methylation array revealed Ob-MSC hypermethylation in genes regulating FAO (PRKAG2, ACC2, CPT1A, SDHC) and corresponding lower mRNA content of these genes. Moreover, MSC methylation was positively correlated with infant adiposity.

Conclusions

These data suggest that greater infant adiposity is associated with suppressed AMPK activity and reduced lipid oxidation in MSCs from infants born to mothers with obesity and may be an important, early marker of underlying obesity risk.

•

Mesenchymal stem cells from infants of obese mothers have greater lipid content in vitro.

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This is attributable to lower fatty acid oxidation, not greater fatty acid uptake.

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AMPK is dysregulated in these cells and corresponds to higher infant adiposity.

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Epigenetic differences in genes regulating these pathways are observed in the cells.

Prenatal Vitamin D Intake, Cord Blood 25-Hydroxyvitamin D, and Offspring Body Composition: The Healthy Start Study

Vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy may be associated with increased offspring adiposity, but evidence from human studies is inconclusive. We examined associations between prenatal vitamin D intake, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) in cord blood, and offspring size and body composition at birth and 5 months. Participants included 605 mother-offspring dyads from the Healthy Start study, an ongoing, pre-birth prospective cohort study in Denver, Colorado, USA. Prenatal vitamin D intake was assessed with diet recalls and questionnaires, and offspring body composition was measured via air displacement plethysmography at birth and 5 months. General linear univariate models were used for analysis, adjusting for maternal age, race/ethnicity, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), offspring sex, and gestational age at birth. Non-Hispanic white race, lower pre-pregnancy BMI, higher prenatal vitamin D intake, and summer births were associated with higher cord blood 25(OH)D. Higher 25(OH)D was associated with lower birthweight (β = -6.22, p = 0.02), but as maternal BMI increased, this association became increasingly positive in direction and magnitude (β = 1.05, p = 0.04). Higher 25(OH)D was also associated with lower neonatal adiposity (β = -0.02, p < 0.05) but not after adjustment for maternal BMI (β = -0.01, p = 0.25). Cord blood 25(OH)D was not associated with offspring size or body composition at 5 months. Our data confirm the hypothesis that vitamin D exposure in early life is associated with neonatal body size and composition. Future research is needed to understand the implications of these associations as infants grow.

Exposure to maternal diabetes in utero and offspring eating behavior: The EPOCH study

The risk of becoming overweight among offspring exposed to gestational diabetes (GDM) in utero is two-fold higher than in the general population. The responsible mechanisms are likely multifactorial, with some evidence that GDM exposure alters brain satiety signaling, which may impact eating behavior. To better understand these effects, we investigated the relationship between GDM exposure, eating behavior, and total energy intake in 268 adolescents from the Exploring Perinatal Outcomes among Children cohort, who were exposed (n = 50) or not exposed (n = 217) to GDM in utero. Eating behavior was measured by the Eating in the Absence of Hunger in Children and Adolescents (EAH-C) questionnaire, which included subscale scores for Negative Affect, External Stimuli, and Fatigue/Boredom. Total energy intake (kcal/day) was derived from the Block Kid's Food Questionnaire. The associations between GDM exposure and the outcomes of total score and each EAH-C subscale were evaluated in separate multivariable models. In addition to the main predictor, GDM, the models included a GDM-by-sex interaction term and were adjusted for important covariates. The associations between EAH-C total and subscale scores and the outcome of total energy intake were also tested in separate multivariable models. Female offspring exposed to GDM in utero (vs unexposed males and females) were more likely to continue eating beyond satiation due to feelings of boredom and fatigue (β = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.83), and in general (EAH-C total score; β = 4.20, 95% CI: 0.56, 7.86) compared to unexposed males. All EAH-C subscale and total scores were significantly, positively associated with higher energy intake (p < 0.05 for all, respectively). Our findings highlight the need for further investigation into the possible early life programming of eating behaviors by GDM exposure in utero.

Maternal diet quality in pregnancy and neonatal adiposity: the Healthy Start Study

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Poor maternal diet in pregnancy can influence fetal growth and development. We tested the hypothesis that poor maternal diet quality during pregnancy would increase neonatal adiposity (percent fat mass (%FM)) at birth by increasing the fat mass (FM) component of neonatal body composition.

METHODS

Our analysis was conducted using a prebirth observational cohort of 1079 mother-offspring pairs. Pregnancy diet was assessed via repeated Automated Self-Administered 24-h dietary recalls, from which Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) scores were calculated for each mother. HEI-2010 was dichotomized into scores of ⩽57 and >57, with low scores representing poorer diet quality. Neonatal %FM was assessed within 72 h after birth with air displacement plethysmography. Using univariate and multivariate linear models, we analyzed the relationship between maternal diet quality and neonatal %FM, FM, and fat-free mass (FFM) while adjusting for prepregnancy body mass index (BMI), physical activity, maternal age, smoking, energy intake, preeclampsia, hypertension, infant sex and gestational age.

RESULTS

Total HEI-2010 score ranged between 18.2 and 89.5 (mean: 54.2, s.d.: 13.6). An HEI-2010 score of ⩽57 was significantly associated with higher neonatal %FM (β=0.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.07-1.1, P<0.05) and FM (β=20.74; 95% CI 1.49-40.0; P<0.05) but no difference in FFM.

CONCLUSIONS

Poor diet quality during pregnancy increases neonatal adiposity independent of maternal prepregnancy BMI and total caloric intake. This further implicates maternal diet as a potentially important exposure for fetal adiposity.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells From Infants Born to Obese Mothers Exhibit Greater Potential for Adipogenesis: The Healthy Start BabyBUMP Project

Maternal obesity increases the risk for pediatric obesity; however, the molecular mechanisms in human infants remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from infants born to obese mothers would demonstrate greater potential for adipogenesis and less potential for myogenesis, driven by differences in β-catenin, a regulator of MSC commitment. MSCs were cultured from the umbilical cords of infants born to normal-weight (prepregnancy [pp] BMI 21.1 ± 0.3 kg/m(2); n = 15; NW-MSCs) and obese mothers (ppBMI 34.6 ± 1.0 kg/m(2); n = 14; Ob-MSCs). Upon differentiation, Ob-MSCs exhibit evidence of greater adipogenesis (+30% Oil Red O stain [ORO], +50% peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ protein; P < 0.05) compared with NW-MSCs. In undifferentiated cells, total β-catenin protein content was 10% lower and phosphorylated Thr41Ser45/total β-catenin was 25% higher (P < 0.05) in Ob-MSCs versus NW-MSCs (P < 0.05). Coupled with 25% lower inhibitory phosphorylation of GSK-3β in Ob-MSCs (P < 0.05), these data suggest greater β-catenin degradation in Ob-MSCs. Lithium chloride inhibition of GSK-3β increased nuclear β-catenin content and normalized nuclear PPAR-γ in Ob-MSCs. Last, ORO in adipogenic differentiating cells was positively correlated with the percent fat mass in infants (r = 0.475; P < 0.05). These results suggest that altered GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling in MSCs of infants exposed to maternal obesity may have important consequences for MSC lineage commitment, fetal fat accrual, and offspring obesity risk.

Validation of the Sense of Coherence Scale in an American Indian population

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Sense of Coherence (SOC) scale in the context of an oral health-related clinical trial conducted in an American Indian population-specifically, people of the Navajo Nation. Data were derived from baseline evaluations of parents (or caregivers) of Navajo children aged 3-5 from 52 Head Start classes enrolled in a trial of an intervention to prevent early childhood caries (ECC). A 190-item Basic Research Factors Questionnaire, which included the SOC, was administered to 1,016 parents/caregivers. Assessment of internal reliability and convergent validity, and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine associations between parents' SOC and other potentially convergent measures. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine 1- and 3-factor solutions of the SOC scale. Higher SOC was significantly related to higher parental education and income, employment status, and higher scores for social support, internal Oral Health Locus of Control (OHLOC), self-efficacy, importance of oral health, oral health knowledge and behavior, and children's oral health quality of life. Higher SOC also was related to lower reported distress and lower external OHLOC. Cronbach's α was 0.84 for all SOC items, but lower for each of the 3 SOC subscales. Confirmatory factor analyses suggested a 3-factor solution was superior to a 1-factor solution. The SOC scale had good internal reliability and convergent validity in this American Indian population.

Associations of maternal weight status prior and during pregnancy with neonatal cardiometabolic markers at birth: the Healthy Start study

Background

Maternal obesity increases adult offspring risk for cardiovascular disease; however the role of offspring adiposity in mediating this association remains poorly characterized.

Objective

To investigate the associations of maternal pre-pregnant body mass index (maternal BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) with neonatal cardio-metabolic markers independent of fetal growth and neonatal adiposity.

Methods

A total of 753 maternal-infant pairs from the Healthy Start study, a large multi-ethnic pre-birth observational cohort were used. Neonatal cardio-metabolic markers included cord blood glucose, insulin, glucose-to-insulin ratio (Glu/Ins), total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), triglycerides, free fatty acids and leptin. Maternal BMI was abstracted from medical records or self-reported. GWG was calculated as the difference between the first pre-pregnant weight and the last weight measurement before delivery. Neonatal adiposity (percent fat mass) was measured within 72 hours of delivery using whole body air displacement plethysmography.

Results

In covariate adjusted models, maternal BMI was positively associated with cord blood insulin (p=0.01) and leptin (p<0.001) levels and inversely associated with cord blood HDL-c (p=0.05) and Glu/Ins (p=0.003). Adjustment for fetal growth or neonatal adiposity attenuated the effect of maternal BMI on neonatal insulin, rendering the association non-significant. However, maternal BMI remained associated with higher leptin (p<0.0011), lower HDL-c (p=0.02) and Glu/Ins (p=0.05), independent of neonatal adiposity. GWG was positively associated with neonatal insulin (p=0.02), glucose (p=0.03) and leptin levels (p<0.001) and negatively associated with Glu/Ins (p=0.006). After adjusting for neonatal adiposity, GWG remained associated with higher neonatal glucose (p=0.02) and leptin levels (p=0.02) and lower Glu/Ins (p=0.048).

Conclusions

Maternal weight prior and/or during pregnancy is associated with neonatal cardio-metabolic makers including leptin, glucose, and HDL-c at delivery, independent of neonatal adiposity. Our results suggest that intrauterine exposure to maternal obesity influences metabolic processes beyond fetal growth and fat accretion.

Testing the fuel-mediated hypothesis: maternal insulin resistance and glucose mediate the association between maternal and neonatal adiposity, the Healthy Start study

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

In women who are overweight or obese before or during pregnancy there is an associated risk of increased fetal growth and higher birthweight. The metabolic phenotype of the overweight/obese pregnant woman, characterised by higher than normal insulin resistance (IR) and increased circulating fuels, suggests a mechanism resulting in fetal overnutrition and subsequent increased adiposity. We tested the fuel-mediated hypothesis in an observational pre-birth cohort of 951 mother-offspring pairs, the Healthy Start study.

METHODS

We conducted a path analysis to estimate the simultaneous effects of maternal IR and maternal fuels (fasting glucose, triacylglycerol [TG] and NEFA levels) in late pregnancy in mediating the relationship between maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and neonatal adiposity (per cent fat mass [%FM]).

RESULTS

The total effect of maternal BMI on neonatal %FM was significant (total effect 0.16, 95% CI 0.08, 0.22, p < 0.001). The mediated path including maternal IR and glucose levels together accounted for 21% (p < 0.01) of the total effect of maternal BMI on neonatal %FM while the mediating effects of all other fuels were non-significant.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

Using a novel application of path analysis our data implicate maternal IR and glucose levels as important mediators of the association between maternal and infant adiposity.