Association between trimester-specific gestational weight gain and childhood obesity at 5 years of age: results from Shanghai obesity cohort

Abstract Background It is still unclear if and at which trimester gestational weight gain is related to childhood adiposity. Thus we aimed to evaluate the association between trimester-specific gestational weight gain and body-fat compositions in Chinese children. Methods Maternal gestational weight were measured by trained nurses every 2 to 4 weeks from the first prenatal care, and body-fat compositions of 407 children from the Shanghai Obesity Cohort at 5 years of age were measured by nutritionist through bioelectrical impedance analysis. Overweight/obesity of children was defined according to the criteria of International Obesity Task Force. Logistic and linear regression models adjusted for potential confounders were conducted to evaluate the associations of gestational weight gains with childhood obesity and body-fat compositions. Two-sided P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Greater gestational weight gain in the 1st-trimester was significantly associated with a higher risk of childhood overweight/obesity [OR: 1.40 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.86)], fat mass index [β: 0.25 (95% CI: 0.12, 0.38)], body fat percentage [β: 1.04 (95% CI: 0.43, 1.65)], and waist-to-height ratio [β: 0.005 (95% CI: 0.002, 0.008)]. A positive but nonsignificant association was found between greater 3rd-trimester gestational weight gain and a higher risk of offspring overweight/obesity, and we speculated that the association between 2nd-trimester gestational weight gain and offspring overweight/obesity is the “U” type. Conclusions Weight gain in the first trimester gestation is positively correlated with the risk of childhood overweight/obesity and with body adiposity distributions of children at 5 years of age. Weight gain should be well controlled and monitored from early pregnancy