Parental physical and lifestyle factors and their association with newborn body composition

Objective To investigate the parental physical and lifestyle determinants of newborn body composition. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Cork University Maternity Hospital, a tertiary referral hospital in Cork, Ireland. Population All babies were recruited as part of a prospective birth cohort, Babies After SCOPE: Evaluating the Longitudinal Impact Using Neurological and Nutritional Endpoints (BASELINE). These babies were recruited from women who had participated in the Screening of Pregnancy Endpoints (SCOPE) study Ireland, a prospective, multicentre cohort study Methods Multivariate linear regression was used to analyse the effect of a range of maternal and paternal physical and lifestyle features on neonatal body fat percentage (BF%). Main outcome measures Neonatal BF%. Neonatal adiposity was assessed within 48 hours of birth using air displacement plethysmography (PEAPOD®). Results In all, 1243 infants were enrolled in the study. Increasing maternal body mass index (adjusted mean difference 0.09; 0.04, 0.15) and waist height ratio (adjusted mean difference 6.59; 0.27, 12.92) were significantly associated with increased neonatal BF%. In contrast, maternal smoking was associated with reduced neonatal BF% compared with non smokers (adjusted mean difference –0.55; –1.07, –0.03). Infant sex significantly altered neonatal BF%, with female infants having higher neonatal BF% compared with male infants (adjusted mean difference 1.98; 1.54, 2.53). No association was observed between paternal body mass index (BMI), paternal age or paternal smoking and neonatal BF%. Conclusions Maternal smoking, BMI, waist height ratio and infant sex were associated with altered BF%. Tweetable Maternal smoking, BMI, waist height ratio and infant sex are associated with altered neonatal body fat percentage. Tweetable Maternal smoking, BMI, waist height ratio and infant sex are associated with altered neonatal body fat percentage.