The impact of maternal weight in pregnancy on glucose metabolism in non-diabetic offspring in late adulthood

Abstract

<div lang="en" class="abs"><p class="abs_header">Abstract</p><p><em>Aims:</em> We aimed to examine the association between maternal adiposity and glucose metabolism in adult offspring without diabetes, simultaneous taking offspring own adiposity into account.</p><p><em>Methods:</em> This longitudinal birth cohort study (Helsinki Birth Cohort Study) included 1,440 non-diabetic subjects examined at a mean age of 62 years. Subjects were divided into quartiles according to maternal body mass index (BMI). The impact of maternal BMI on offspring body composition was also studied.</p><p><em>Results:</em> There were no differences in fasting glucose between the groups. In men, maternal BMI was inversely associated with mean 2-hour glucose concentration after a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (p < 0.001) and mean homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (p = 0.049). According to the subjects’ own BMI, high maternal BMI was associated with lower 2-hour glucose concentrations only in non-obese men and with lower HOMA-IR only in obese men. Maternal BMI was not associated with glucose concentrations nor with HOMA-IR in women. In addition, maternal BMI was positively associated with a higher offspring lean body mass in men.</p><p><em>Conclusions:</em> High maternal BMI was associated with lower 2-hour plasma glucose concentration, especially in non-obese men. Offspring lean body mass may be a mediating factor for the association.</p></div>