Obese mothers raise childhood asthma risk
Wednesday May 20th, 2009
Mothers who are obese have a higher than normal rate of asthmatic children, researchers warned yesterday.
A team of experts predicted that so-called "pro-inflammatory factors" made by excess adipose (fat) tissue in overweight mothers would be linked to childhood asthma.
Dr Jet Smit and colleagues from the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment in the Netherlands, believe that adipose tissue produces pro-inflammatory chemicals and suppresses anti-inflammatory chemicals.
They thought that being obese during pregnancy might affect the baby's immune system and lungs, possibly leading to asthma symptoms.
So the team looked at figures from nearly 4,000 children up to the age of eight years. All of the children were part of the Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy Study, which followed the children from birth.
More than one in five of the mothers was overweight, that is, a body mass index of 25 or above. Among children with a family history of asthma (at least one parent), having an obese mother increased their risk of asthma at age eight by 65 per cent.
"This suggests that children of overweight mothers are exposed to increased levels of pro-inflammatory factors during foetal life," said Dr Smit.
"These findings suggest that there are multiple benefits to maintaining - or in some cases attaining - a healthy body weight. In women of child-bearing age, it may not just be a benefit to their health, but to their offspring as well," he added.
The findings were presented yesterday (May 19) at the International Conference of the American Thoracic Society in San Diego, USA.
Smit, J. et al. Maternal Overweight before Pregnancy and Asthma in Offspring Followed for 8 Years. Presented at the International Conference of the American Thoracic Society in San Diego, USA, on May 19, 2009.
Tags: Allergies & Asthma | Child Health | Childbirth and Pregnancy | Europe | North America | Respiratory | Women’s Health & Gynaecology
Printer friendly page