Abstract
Background
This study determined the relationship between physical activity (PA), circulating lipids throughout pregnancy and infant anthropometric outcomes at birth and 2 weeks of age.
Methods
Women (N = 234) with normal weight (NW, BMI 18.5–24.9 kg/m2) and with overweight and class I obesity (OW/OB, BMI 25–35 kg/m2) were categorized into high and low PA based on average cohort steps during pregnancy (8099 steps/day). Circulating fasting lipids were measured at each trimester. Standardized methods were used to obtain anthropometrics measures. Infant body composition was estimated by quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (EchoMRI-AH small; ECHO Medical Systems).
Results
Women with NW who had higher activity had lower circulating triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) levels at 12 weeks compared to women with NW and low activity (p < 0.05). Women with OW/OB and high activity level throughout pregnancy had lower circulating TG, and low density lipoprotein (LDL), at 12 weeks, lower LDL at 24 weeks, and lower TG at 36 weeks compared to the women with OW/OB who had low activity levels (p < 0.05). For children born to women with OW/OB, maternal circulating TG and LDL were most associated with infant anthropometrics at 2 weeks of age.
Conclusion
This study supports that higher PA during pregnancy is associated with lower lipid levels throughout pregnancy with a greater effect size in women with OW/OB. Maternal lipids were associated with anthropometrics and infant body composition at two weeks of life in women with OW/OB.
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Abbreviations
- ACOG:
-
American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology
- APGAR:
-
Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, and Respiration
- BL:
-
Birth length
- BMI:
-
Body Mass Index
- BW:
-
Birth weight
- HDL:
-
High density lipoprotein
- LDL:
-
Low density lipoprotein
- LGA:
-
Large for gestational age
- NHANES:
-
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
- NW:
-
Normal weight
- OW/OB:
-
Overweight/Obese
- PA:
-
Physical Activity
- TC:
-
Total Cholesterol
- TG:
-
Triglycerides
- WHO:
-
World Health Organization
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Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to the children and families who participated in this study and to the clinical core team for their assistance in data collection.
Funding
All phases of this study were supported by USDA-ARS Project 6026-51000-012-06S. AA and CRS are partially funded by RO1 DK107516.
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Dr. Sobik drafted the initial manuscript, interpreted the data, and reviewed and revised the manuscript. Dr. Andres contributed to the conceptualization and design of study, coordinated and supervised data collection, analyzed and interpreted data and contributed to the writing and review of the manuscript. Drs. Sims, Bimali and Williams analyzed and interpreted the data and reviewed manuscript. Ms. Crimmins contributed to the writing and review of the manuscript. All authors reviewed the manuscript critically for important intellectual content and approved the final manuscript as submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
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Sobik, S., Sims, C.R., Crimmins, M. et al. Associations Between Maternal Physical Activity, Maternal Lipid Levels, and Infant Anthropometric Outcomes at Two Weeks of Age. Matern Child Health J 27, 168–177 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-022-03558-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-022-03558-4