title: Maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index and offspring temperament and behavior at 1 and 2 years of age.
abstract: Recent research suggests that fetal exposure to increased maternal body mass index (BMI) during pregnancy may be associated with psychopathology later in life. When this link first emerges, and if it is due to intrauterine exposures or confounding variables is not known. We therefore assessed associations between maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and: (1) temperament at 1 year of age, and (2) Child Behavior Checklist internalizing and externalizing scales at age 2 in the 2900 mothers and infants enrolled in the Western Australian Pregnancy Study. Pre-pregnancy BMI was positively associated with externalizing scores (β = 0.131, 95 % CI 0.013-0.249) at age 2, even after adjustment for confounders, but not with internalizing scores or an increased risk of difficult temperament. These data suggest that fetal exposure to increased maternal BMI is associated with elevated levels of behavior problems as early as age 2, and that this may be linked to the intrauterine environment.
authors.affiliation: Chedoke Division, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, Box 2000, Central Building Rm 304, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z5, Canada. vanlierj@mcmaster.ca
authors.forename: Ryan J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Van Lieshout
authors.forename: Louis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Monique
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Niccols
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Boyle
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013694:Temperament / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult