title: Maternal protein intake during pregnancy and offspring overweight 20 y later.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Animal studies have shown that protein intake in pregnancy may influence offspring fat metabolism and adiposity. The macronutrient ratio in human pregnancy appears to be important for offspring glucose tolerance; however, less is known about the influence on offspring adiposity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We examined the relation between maternal dietary protein intake during pregnancy and offspring anthropometric measures and biomarkers of adiposity and glucose metabolism.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a prospective cohort of 965 Danish pregnant women recruited in 1988-1989 with offspring follow-up at 19-21 y. Macronutrient intake was collected in gestational week 30, and we divided protein according to its source (animal and vegetable including cereals). Offspring body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)) and waist circumference were recorded at follow-up (n = 695-697), and biomarkers were quantified in a subset (n = 443) of participants. We used multivariable linear and log-binomial regression to calculate effect estimates and 95% CIs for a 1:1-g substitution of carbohydrates for protein.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Offspring mean (±SD) BMI was 22.1 ± 3.3 and 22.8 ± 2.9 for women and men, respectively. The prevalence of overweight (BMI ≥25) was 16.9% for women and 19.1% for men. We showed that a 1:1-g substitution of animal protein for carbohydrates increased risk of BMI ≥25 in female [quartile 4 compared with quartile 1: risk ratio (RR): 3.36; 95% CI: 1.52, 7.42] and male (quartile 4 compared with quartile 1: RR: 2.22; 95% CI: 0.92, 5.35) offspring. These results appeared to be accounted for by protein from meat sources. The results could not be explained by postnatal risk factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Protein from animal sources, primarily meat products, consumed during pregnancy may increase risk of overweight in offspring; this association appeared to be stronger for female offspring. Because of the lack of information on postnatal exposure in this cohort, these results are hypothesis-generating and need to be replicated in other cohorts.
authors.affiliation: From the Centre for Fetal Programming, Department of Epidemiology Research, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark (EM, SFO, and TIH); the Section for Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (DR and BHB); the Department of Pediatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby, Denmark (TBH); the Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark (MAR); the Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA (SFO); the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland (TIH); and the Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland (TIH).
authors.forename: Ekaterina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maslova
authors.affiliation: From the Centre for Fetal Programming, Department of Epidemiology Research, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark (EM, SFO, and TIH); the Section for Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (DR and BHB); the Department of Pediatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby, Denmark (TBH); the Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark (MAR); the Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA (SFO); the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland (TIH); and the Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland (TIH).
authors.forename: Dorte
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rytter
authors.affiliation: From the Centre for Fetal Programming, Department of Epidemiology Research, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark (EM, SFO, and TIH); the Section for Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (DR and BHB); the Department of Pediatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby, Denmark (TBH); the Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark (MAR); the Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA (SFO); the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland (TIH); and the Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland (TIH).
authors.forename: Bodil H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Bech
authors.affiliation: From the Centre for Fetal Programming, Department of Epidemiology Research, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark (EM, SFO, and TIH); the Section for Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (DR and BHB); the Department of Pediatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby, Denmark (TBH); the Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark (MAR); the Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA (SFO); the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland (TIH); and the Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland (TIH).
authors.forename: Tine B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Henriksen
authors.affiliation: From the Centre for Fetal Programming, Department of Epidemiology Research, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark (EM, SFO, and TIH); the Section for Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (DR and BHB); the Department of Pediatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby, Denmark (TBH); the Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark (MAR); the Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA (SFO); the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland (TIH); and the Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland (TIH).
authors.forename: Morten A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.affiliation: From the Centre for Fetal Programming, Department of Epidemiology Research, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark (EM, SFO, and TIH); the Section for Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (DR and BHB); the Department of Pediatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby, Denmark (TBH); the Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark (MAR); the Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA (SFO); the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland (TIH); and the Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland (TIH).
authors.forename: Sjurdur F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.affiliation: From the Centre for Fetal Programming, Department of Epidemiology Research, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark (EM, SFO, and TIH); the Section for Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (DR and BHB); the Department of Pediatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby, Denmark (TBH); the Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark (MAR); the Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA (SFO); the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland (TIH); and the Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland (TIH).
authors.forename: Thorhallur I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Halldorsson
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003718:Denmark; D004032:Diet; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D008461:Meat Products / Q000032:analysis; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D016017:Odds Ratio; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055105:Waist Circumference; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004044:Dietary Proteins