Children born to obese women are more likely to be hospitalised, a new study by Queensland researchers has found.
The Griffith University study published in the International Journal of Obesity followed more than 5,500 mothers and their children over five years.
It found the children of women who were obese before they got pregnant were 50 per cent more likely to end up in hospital in their first five years of life.
The study was the first to link mother’s pre-pregnancy weight to their children’s hospital admissions.
Researchers to study genetic processes
Dr Cate Cameron says researchers are now hoping to secure funding to analyse genetic material work out why.
“We don’t know from this study what the actual biological process is and I think that’s the next step to really try and look at that,” she said.
“We do have genetic data DNA material that’s been stored from the children’s cord blood and I think that’s the next step, to really start to try and look at what the genetic process has been going on.”
Dr Cameron said the children had a variety of medical problems.
“The primary reasons we found when we looked at the patterns were infections, respiratory conditions, metabolic and endocrine conditions,” she said.
She said the results indicated people needed to look at overall health.
“This is not about blaming women – we are certainly not trying to say that it’s a woman’s fault that their child is going to hospital,” she said.
“It’s really about a message of overall health.
“If we can reduce our weight, take whatever steps we can to be healthy, then the potential is not only health benefit for the women themselves, but also for the child.”
She said there was “huge potential” for cost savings on the health system.
“As well as benefits for women themselves and the next generation – if we can get that message across – if we can support weight loss for women.” she said.
Study unique in linking data with child admissions
Study co-author Professor Andrew Hills, from the Mater Mothers’ Hospital in Brisbane, said the work was significant because the mothers and children were followed over a period of time.
“This study is also significant because it is the first to link the size of mums based on their body mass index before falling pregnant and the health in their offspring across the first five years of life,” he said.
“This is the million dollar question. We appreciate that there are significantly heightened risks for folk carrying additional body weight at different stages at life but we know less about the exact mechanism.
“The challenge with this particular cohort study is having sufficient study to undertake additional work, particularly following a large group of people over an extended period.”
He said the study was unique with the linking of data associated with child hospital admissions.
“I think it is a very good example of accessing quality data from the health system and linking that with a group of mothers and their offspring,” he said.
Women bombarded with information
Dr Gino Pecoraro, obstetrics spokesman for the Australian Medical Association, said he was not surprised by the study findings.
“It just confirms what really in our heart of hearts we sort of knew,” he said.
“It makes sense that before women embark on a pregnancy that, if they can, that they try to get into a normal weight range.”
But he said it was becoming harder for women to know what to do as they were bombarded by more information.
“Everybody has got an opinion on how you should have a baby,” he said.
“A common sense approach is the best way to go. Let’s not stress women more than they need to be.
“We may actually be programming the baby – the next generation – to be more likely to be overweight as well and that has huge implications for our country.”
He agreed it would be better for Australia’s health system, as well as for the health of the women, if people were at a healthy weight range before they got pregnant.
“Let’s help them to get to that weight range – don’t just increase guilt and anxiety because they’re not in the perfect range, because that doesn’t help anyone,” he said.