title: Sex-Differences in the Metabolic Health of Offspring of Parents with Diabetes: A Record-Linkage Study.
abstract: Maternal diabetes in pregnancy affects offspring health. The impact of parental diabetes on offspring health is unclear. We investigated the impact of parental diabetes on the metabolic-health of adult-offspring who did not themselves have diabetes. Data from the Generation Scotland: Scottish Family Health Study, a population-based family cohort, were record-linked to subjects' own diabetes medical records. From F0-parents, we identified F1-offspring of: mothers with diabetes (OMD, n = 409), fathers with diabetes (OFD, n = 468), no parent with diabetes (ONoPD, n = 2489). Metabolic syndrome, body, biochemical measurements and blood-pressures were compared between F1-offspring groups by sex. A higher proportion of female OMD had metabolic syndrome than female OFD or ONoPD (P<0.0001). In female offspring, predictors of metabolic syndrome were: having a mother with diabetes (OR = 1.78, CI 1.03-3.07, [reference ONoPD]), body mass index (BMI, OR = 1.21, CI 1.13-1.30) and age (OR = 1.03, CI 1.01-1.06). In male offspring, predictors of metabolic syndrome were: BMI (OR = 1.18, CI 1.09-1.29) and percent body-fat (OR = 1.12, CI 1.05-1.19). In both sexes, OMD had higher blood-pressures than OFD (P<0.0001). In females, OMD had higher glucose (P<0.0001) and percent body-fat (P<0.0001) compared with OFD or ONoPD. OMD and OFD both had increased waist-measurements (P<0.0001), BMI (P<0.0001) and percent body-fat (P<0.0001) compared with ONoPD. Female OMD and OFD had lower HDL-cholesterol levels (P<0.0001) than female ONoPD. Parental diabetes is associated with higher offspring-BMI and body-fat. In female offspring, maternal diabetes increased the odds of metabolic syndrome, even after adjusting for BMI. Further investigations are required to determine the mechanisms involved.
authors: Tommy's Centre for Maternal and Fetal Health, MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors: Marian C
authors: MC
authors: Aldhous
authors: Endocrinology Unit, University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors: Rebecca M
authors: RM
authors: Reynolds
authors: Generation Scotland, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors: Archie
authors: A
authors: Campbell
authors: Generation Scotland, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors: Pamela
authors: P
authors: Linksted
authors: British Heart Foundation Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
authors: Robert S
authors: RS
authors: Lindsay
authors: Medical Research Institute, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom.
authors: Blair H
authors: BH
authors: Smith
authors: Endocrinology Unit, University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors: Jonathan R
authors: JR
authors: Seckl
authors: Generation Scotland, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Medical Genetics Section, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors: David J
authors: DJ
authors: Porteous
authors: Tommy's Centre for Maternal and Fetal Health, MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors: Jane E
authors: JE
authors: Norman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D032721:Adult Children / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational; D005220:Fathers; D005260:Female; D000066502:Grandparents; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D009035:Mothers; D011247:Pregnancy; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012907:Smoking; D055815:Young Adult