Maternal Hyperglycemia during Pregnancy Increases Adiposity of Offspring

Background: The effect of intrauterine hyperglycemia on fat mass and regional fat proportion of the offspring of mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (OGDM) remains to be determined. Methods: The body composition of OGDM (n= 25) and offspring of normoglycemic mothers (n= 49) was compared using dualenergy X-ray absorptiometry at age 5 years. The relationship between maternal glucose concentration during a 100 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and regional fat mass or proportion was analyzed after adjusting for maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI). Results: BMI was comparable between OGDM and control (median, 16.0 kg/m2 vs. 16.1 kg/m2). Total, truncal, and leg fat mass were higher in OGDM compared with control (3,769 g vs. 2,245 g, P=0.004; 1,289 g vs. 870 g, P=0.017; 1,638 g vs. 961 g, P= 0.002, respectively), whereas total lean mass was lower in OGDM (15,688 g vs. 16,941 g, P= 0.001). Among OGDM, total and truncal fat mass were correlated with fasting and 3-hour glucose concentrations of maternal 100 g OGTT during pregnancy (total fat mass, r= 0.49, P= 0.018 [fasting], r= 0.473, P= 0.023 [3-hour]; truncal fat mass, r= 0.571, P= 0.004 [fasting], r= 0.558, P= 0.006 [3-hour]), but there was no correlation between OGDM leg fat mass and maternal OGTT during pregnancy. Regional fat indices were not correlated with concurrent maternal 75 g OGTT values. Conclusion: Intrauterine hyperglycemia is associated with increased fat mass, especially truncal fat, in OGDM aged 5 years.

Automated summary

The offspring of mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (OGDM) had higher total, truncal, and leg fat mass at age 5 compared to offspring of normoglycemic mothers. Maternal glucose concentrations during a 100g oral glucose tolerance test were positively correlated with fat mass in OGDM, especially trunk fat. No correlation was found between leg fat mass and maternal glucose tolerance test during pregnancy.