title: Association of pre- and post-natal parental smoking with offspring body mass index: an 8-year follow-up of a birth cohort.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although many epidemiological studies have shown an association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and offspring overweight, it is still under debate whether intrauterine tobacco smoke exposure directly affects offspring obesity or if the association is rather due to confounding by lifestyle factors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The association of parental smoking habits at pre- and post-natal periods with offspring body mass index (BMI) was investigated, whereas maternal smoking during pregnancy was validated by cord serum cotinine measurements.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multivariable linear regression analysis, based on the German Ulm Birth Cohort Study of 1045 children born in 2000 with annual/biennial follow-up until the age of 8 years (n = 609), was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BMI of offspring from mothers who smoked during pregnancy and non-smoking mothers differed significantly at 8 years. Maternal smoking during pregnancy was associated with an increase in BMI of 0.73 kg m(-2) [95% confidence interval: 0.21-1.25] in 8-year-old children after adjustment for multiple potential confounding variables. Both pre- and post-natal smoking of fathers (0.34 [0.01-0.66]/0.45 [0.08-0.81]) and of both parents (1.03 [0.43-1.63]/0.56 [0.14-0.98]) were likewise significantly associated with offspring BMI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The observed patterns suggest that residual confounding by living conditions in smoking families rather than specific intrauterine exposure to tobacco smoke may account for the increased risk of offspring overweight.
authors: Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Florath
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Kohler
authors: M N
authors: MN
authors: Weck
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Brandt
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Rothenbacher
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Schöttker
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Moß
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Gottmann
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Wabitsch
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Brenner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005220:Fathers; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
keywords: Body mass index; cotinine; pregnancy; smoking