Pre-pregnancy maternal obesity and infant neurodevelopmental outcomes in Latino infants

Objective

This study explores the impact of maternal pre-pregnancy BMI on infant neurodevelopment at 24 months in low-income Latino families. It also investigates whether infant diet mediates this relationship.

Methods

Latino mother-infant pairs (n = 163) were enrolled at 1 month post partum and were followed for 2 years, with assessments at 6-month intervals. Maternal pre-pregnancy anthropometrics were self-reported at baseline, and child neurodevelopment was assessed at 24 months using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Diet quality of infants was measured using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 and HEI-Toddlers-2020 scores at multiple time points. Mediation and regression models that adjust for maternal factors were used to examine the associations.

Results

Pre-pregnancy BMI showed significant negative associations with child cognitive scores (β = −0.1, 95% CI: −0.2 to −0.06, p < 0.001) and language scores (β = −0.1, 95% CI: −0.2 to −0.03, p = 0.01) at 24 months. Infant HEI-2015 scores at 24 months partly mediated these associations, explaining 23% and 30% of the total effect on cognitive and language subscales, respectively. No specific dietary components in infants mediated the relationship, except for the total HEI-2015 score.

Conclusions

Managing maternal obesity pre-pregnancy is crucial for improving infant neurodevelopmental outcomes, especially in low-income Latino families. Promoting healthy weight and enhancing infant diet quality can enhance neurodevelopment in these populations.