title: Effects of a Gestational Weight Gain Restriction Program for Obese Pregnant Women: Children's Weight Development during the First Five Years of Life.
abstract: Maternal prepregnancy obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m(2)) and excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) have shown a strong positive association with a higher BMI and risk of obesity in the offspring. The aim of this study is to estimate the effect of a GWG restriction program for obese pregnant women on the children's BMI at 5 years of age and weight-for-length/height (WL/H) development from 2 months of age until 5 years of age.
  
  
  
  This was a follow-up study of 302 children (137 children in an intervention group and 165 children in a control group) whose mothers participated in a weight gain restriction program during pregnancy.
  
  
  
  BMI at five years of age did not differ between girls and boys in the intervention and control group. The degree of maternal GWG, <7 kg or ≥7 kg, did not affect the offspring's WL/H. Compared with Swedish reference data, just over half of the children in both the intervention and control group had a BMI within the average range, whereas slightly more than one-third of the children had a higher BMI.
  
  
  
  Despite a comprehensive gestational intervention program for obese women containing individual weekly visits and opportunity to participate in aqua aerobic classes, there were no differences between BMI or weight development among the offspring at 5 years of age in the intervention and control group.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University , Linköping, Sweden .
authors.forename: Ing-Marie
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Claesson
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University , Linköping, Sweden .
authors.forename: Gunilla
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sydsjö
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Clinical Sciences, Department of Paediatrics, Lund University , Lund, Sweden .
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Olhager
authors.affiliation: 3 Child Health Services , Public Health and Health Care, Region Jönköping County, Jönköping, Sweden .
authors.forename: Carin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oldin
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University , Linköping, Sweden .
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Josefsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D015430:Weight Gain