Maternal Obesity and Increased Childhood Infection Hospitalization Risk: Long-Term Study Finds Link

Recent research highlights a significant association between maternal obesity and a higher likelihood of hospital admissions for infections in children. The study, published in BMJ Medicine, followed children born to mothers with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or higher, revealing that these children are at an increased risk of hospitalization due to various infections.

The researchers utilized data from the long-term Born in Bradford study, involving over 9,000 women who had delivered between 2007 and 2010, with detailed information gathered on maternal BMI during pregnancy. The children’s health was tracked until they reached 15 years of age, focusing on hospital admissions related to infections such as respiratory, gastrointestinal, skin, and viral illnesses.

Findings show that children of mothers with severe obesity were more likely to be admitted to hospitals for infections—from the newborn stage through adolescence—compared to those with mothers of healthy weight. Specifically, the study identified an approximately 41% increase in infection-related hospitalizations in infants and a 53% increase in children aged 5 to 15 years.

Factors like cesarean births and child obesity also contributed to this increased risk, with cesarean delivery accounting for 21% and childhood obesity for 26% of the association. Interestingly, maternal weight gain during pregnancy and breastfeeding duration were not significantly linked to infection risks.

The findings emphasize the importance of maintaining a healthy weight before and after pregnancy as a modifiable factor that could reduce long-term health risks for children. Given that global maternal obesity rates are projected to reach nearly a quarter of all pregnant women by 2030, these insights are particularly relevant for public health strategies.

Despite limitations, including reliance on data from a single hospital and missing information on lifestyle factors, the study underscores potential interventions—such as promoting healthy weight in women of reproductive age—that could lower the incidence of childhood infections and improve overall child health outcomes.