19 Aug Maternal Gestational Diabetes Increased Risk of Childhood Obesity

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Dr. Gang Hu

Dr. Gang Hu, Associate Professor
LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center & Director
Chronic Disease Epidemiology Lab

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: Some studies have found that maternal gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) places offspring at increased risk of long-term adverse outcomes, including obesity. However, most of studies are from high income countries, with limited data from low to middle income countries. The present study, conducted at urban and suburban sites in 12 countries, found that the increased risk for children of GDM mothers compared with non-gestational diabetes mellitus mothers was 53% for obesity, 73% for central obesity, and 42% for high body fat.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: We found that maternal gestational diabetes mellitus was associated with an increased risk of childhood obesity among children ages 9–11 years from 12 countries, but this association was not fully independent of maternal BMI. Lifestyle intervention among GDM women and their children during pregnancy and after delivery might prevent the risks of maternal postpartum diabetes and maternal and children’s obesity.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: More research is needed to confirm the effect of maternal  gestational diabetes mellitus on the risks of childhood obesity and central obesity.

MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.

Citation: Pei Zhao, Enqing Liu, Yijuan Qiao, Peter T. Katzmarzyk, Jean-Philippe Chaput, Mikael Fogelholm, William D. Johnson, Rebecca Kuriyan, Anura Kurpad, Estelle V. Lambert, Carol Maher, José A.R. Maia, Victor Matsudo, Timothy Olds, Vincent Onywera, Olga L. Sarmiento, Martyn Standage, Mark S. Tremblay, Catrine Tudor-Locke, Gang Hu. Maternal gestational diabetes and childhood obesity at age 9–11: results of a multinational study. Diabetologia, 2016; DOI: 10.1007/s00125-016-4062-9

Note: Content is Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions.

More Medical Research Interviews on MedicalResearch.com

[wysija_form id=”5″]

Last Updated on August 19, 2016 by Marie Benz MD FAAD