Exposure to gestational diabetes is a stronger predictor of dysmetabolic traits in children than size at birth

Freja Bach Kampmann, Anne Cathrine Baun Thuesen, Line Hjort, Sjurdur Frodi Olsen, Sara Monteiro Pires, Inge Tetens, Louise Groth Grunnet

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Context and Objective: Being born small or large for gestational age and intrauterine exposure to gestational diabetes (GDM) increase the risk of type 2 diabetes in the offspring. However, the potential combined deleterious effects of size at birth and GDM exposure remains unknown. We examined the independent effect of size at birth and the influence of GDM exposure in utero on cardiometabolic traits, body composition, and puberty status in children. Design, Participants, and Methods: The present study was a longitudinal birth cohort study. We used clinical data from 490 offspring of mothers with GDM and 527 control offspring aged 9 to 16 years, born singleton at term from the Danish National Birth Cohort with available birthweight data. Results: We found no evidence of a U-shaped association between size at birth (expressed as birthweight, sex, and gestational age adjusted z-score) and cardiometabolic traits. Body size in childhood and adolescence reflected the size at birth but was not reflected in any metabolic outcome. No synergistic adverse effect of being born small or large for gestational age and exposure to GDM was shown. However, GDM was associated with an adverse metabolic profile and earlier onset of female puberty in childhood and adolescence independently of size at birth. Conclusion: In childhood and adolescence, we found GDM was a stronger predictor of dysmetabolic traits than size at birth. The combination of being born small or large and exposed to GDM does not exacerbate the metabolic profile in the offspring.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume104
Issue number5
Pages (from-to)1766-1776
Number of pages11
ISSN0021-972X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Exposure to gestational diabetes is a stronger predictor of dysmetabolic traits in children than size at birth'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this