Children of obese mothers ‘more likely to die before age 55’

Children born to obese mothers are 35% more likely to die before they reach 55, a study has found.

They also have a 29% increased chance of being admitted to hospital for heartattacks, angina and stroke than those born to mothers of a normal weight.

Experts analysed data for 37,709 babies delivered between 1950 and 1976 inScotland who were now aged 34 to 61.

Their mother’s weight was recorded during her first antenatal appointment in pregnancy.

The results showed that offspring were 35% more likely to have suffered anearly death from any cause by the age of 55 if their mother had been obese inpregnancy (body mass index of 30 or over).

This held true even after other factors were taken into account, includingmother’s age, socioeconomic status, sex of the child, birthweight and theircurrent weight.

Writing online in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), the experts concluded: “Maternal obesity is associated with an increased risk of premature death inadult offspring.

“As one in five women in the United Kingdom is obese at antenatal booking,strategies to optimise weight before pregnancy are urgently required.”

Among the 28,540 mothers, 21% (5,993) were overweight at their first antenatal appointment and 4% (1,141) were obese.

Among the 37,709 children, there were 6,551 deaths from any cause, with the leading cause of death being heart disease (24% of deaths in men and 13% inwomen).

This was followed by cancer (26% of deaths in men and 42% in women).

The experts, from the universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh, said the results were a “major public health concern”, especially seeing as only 4% of mothers in the study were obese, “far smaller than current levels in the US and UK”.

They added: “Our results suggest that the intrauterine environment has acrucial and long lasting effect on risk of premature mortality in offspring.”

One theory behind the findings is that being overweight in pregnancy may cause permanent changes in appetite control and energy metabolism in the unborn child, leading to a greater risk of heart problems later.

Dr Sohinee Bhattacharya, of the University of Aberdeen, added: “This study highlights the importance of weight management in mothers and their offspring.”