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Cited by 10Gestational Diabetes Research and ManagementBirth, Development, and HealthObesity, Physical Activity, Diet

Association of Maternal Overweight and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus with Offspring Adiposity Trajectory: From Birth to Early Adolescence

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Deng, Yuzhi, Tam, Claudia H. T., Yang, Aimin, Shi, Mai, Yuen, Lai Yuk, Ng, Noel Y. H., Tsang, Atta Y. T., Tsoi, Kit Ying +8 more·2025·Diabetologia
DOI 10.1007/s00125-025-06468-6PMC PMC12423264
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Abstract

Aims/hypothesis: We aimed to examine offspring adiposity trajectories from birth to age 9–14 years and to assess the joint associations of maternal overweight and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with these trajectories. Methods: This is a prospective cohort study with 564 mother–child dyads from the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome study Hong Kong field centre. Assessments and anthropometric measurements were taken during pregnancy, at delivery and at median ages of 7 and 10 years postpartum. Offspring adiposity was primarily assessed using sum of skinfold thickness. We used linear mixed-effect models to evaluate the independent and joint associations of maternal overweight and GDM with the offspring adiposity trajectories, and applied group-based trajectory modelling to identify distinct patterns of adiposity development based on both statistical indices and clinical interpretability. Results: Offspring skinfold thickness trajectories varied significantly based on maternal overweight and GDM (p<0.05). Group-based trajectory modelling identified two trajectory groups for skinfold thickness: 52.1% with slow increase and 47.9% with rapid increase. Combined maternal overweight and GDM was associated with 6.90-fold increased risk (95% CI 1.89, 33.32; p=0.006) of the rapidly increasing trajectory. Linear mixed-effect model analysis showed greater increases in skinfold thickness among offspring of mothers with either condition, with the highest trajectory observed in offspring of mothers with both conditions (β 1.62; 95% CI 0.69, 2.54; p=0.001). Conclusions/interpretation: Maternal overweight and GDM are independently and jointly associated with rapidly increasing adiposity trajectories from birth to early adolescence. The findings underscore the importance of considering both maternal metabolic conditions when evaluating offspring adiposity risk. Graphical Abstract:

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  • The literature shows heterogeneous findings regarding the association between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and offspring obesity, particularly after adjustment for maternal pre-pregnancy BMI.

    “We acknowledge that the literature shows heterogeneous findings regarding the association between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and offspring obesity, particularly after adjustment for maternal pre-pregnancy BMI.”

    From Maternal Overnutrition and Fetal Programming: Long-Term Metabolic, Cognitive, and Epigenetic Consequences (2026) · cites this paper as [85]

  • Other contemporary research demonstrates independent and joint effects of maternal GDM and overweight on offspring adiposity trajectories from birth into early adolescence, with maternal GDM maintaining a positive association even when accounting for BMI and other covariates.

    “Conversely, other contemporary research demonstrates independent and joint effects of maternal GDM and overweight on offspring adiposity trajectories from birth into early adolescence, with maternal GDM maintaining a positive association even when accounting for BMI and other covariates [85].”

    From Maternal Overnutrition and Fetal Programming: Long-Term Metabolic, Cognitive, and Epigenetic Consequences (2026) · cites this paper as [85]

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Authors
Deng, Y., Tam, C. H. T., Yang, A., Shi, M., Yuen, L. Y., Ng, N. Y. H., Tsang, A. Y. T., Tsoi, K. Y., Ozaki, R., Li, A. M., Chow, E., Hui, L. L., Chan, J. C. N., Wang, C. C., Tam, W. H., & Ma, R. C. W.
Affiliations
  • Chinese University of Hong Kong (HK)
  • Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HK)
ORCID
Venue
Diabetologia
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2025-06-17
Volume
68
Issue
10
Pages
2194-2204
ISSN
  • 0012-186X (ISSN-L)
  • 1432-0428
DOI
10.1007/s00125-025-06468-6
PMC
PMC12423264
OpenAlex
W4411334136
Cited by
10
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 2
FWCI
11.71
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Diabetologia (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • General Research Fund of the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong SAR, China (CUHK 14102719, CUHK 14118718, CUHK 471713, CUHK 473408)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (grant no. R01-HD34243)
  • National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (grant no. R01-HD34242)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Gestational Diabetes Research and Management
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Birth, Development, and Health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
Keywords
maternal overweight, gestational diabetes mellitus, offspring adiposity, adiposity trajectories, skinfold thickness, childhood obesity, early adolescence, intrauterine programming
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Male, Pregnancy, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Prospective Studies, Skinfold Thickness, Diabetes, Gestational, Adiposity, Overweight

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