Risk of Childhood Overweight after Exposure to Tobacco Smoking in Prenatal and Early Postnatal Life

Objective: To investigate the association between exposure to mothers smoking during prenatal and early postnatal life and risk of overweight at age 7 years, while taking birth weight into account. Methods: From the Danish National Birth Cohort a total of 32,747 families were identified with available information on maternal smoking status in child’s pre- and postnatal life and child’s birth weight, and weight and height at age 7 years. Outcome was overweight according to the International Obesity Task Force gender and age specific body mass index. Smoking exposure was categorized into four groups: no exposure (n = 25,076); exposure only during pregnancy (n = 3,343); exposure only postnatally (n = 140); and exposure during pregnancy and postnatally (n = 4,188). Risk of overweight according to smoking status as well as dose-response relationships were estimated by crude and adjusted odds ratios using logistic regression models. Results: Exposure to smoking only during pregnancy, or both during pregnancy and postnatally were both significantly associated with overweight at 7 years of age (OR: 1.31, 95 % CI: 1.15–1.48, and OR: 1.76, 95 % CI: 1.58–1.97, respectively). Analyses excluding children with low birth weight (,2,500 gram) revealed similar results. A significant prenatal dose-response relationship was found. Per one additional cigarette smoked per day an increase in risk of overweight was observed (OR: 1.02, 95 % CI: 1.01–1.03). When adjusting for quantity of smoking during pregnancy, prolonged exposure afte