The association of maternal gestational weight gain with cardiometabolic risk factors in offspring: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This article systematically reviews and meta-analyzes cohort studies to examine the association between maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) and offspring cardiometabolic risk factors (CRFs). The analysis of 33 studies involving 90,968 mother–child pairs found that higher GWG is associated with increased offspring adiposity measures—including fat mass, body fat percentage, and waist circumference—as well as higher systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, and insulin levels, and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Excessive GWG compared to adequate GWG showed similar associations, while inadequate GWG was linked to lower body fat percentage and certain lipid levels. Many associations attenuated after adjusting for offspring anthropometry, suggesting offspring body composition partly mediates these effects. The findings support recommendations to avoid excessive GWG to reduce offspring cardiometabolic risk, though further research is needed on the modifying roles of maternal prepregnancy body mass index and timing of weight gain during pregnancy.