Maternal Obesity: A Focus on Maternal Interventions to Improve Health of Offspring
Akriti Shrestha, Madison Prowak, Victoria-Marie Berlandi-Short, Jessica Garay and Latha Ramalingam
Maternal obesity has many implications for offspring health that persist throughout their
lifespan that include obesity and cardiovascular complications. Several different factors
contribute to obesity and they encompass interplay between genetics and environment.
In the prenatal period, untreated obesity establishes a foundation for a myriad
of symptoms and negative delivery experiences, including gestational hypertensive
disorders, gestational diabetes, macrosomia, and labor complications. However, data
across human and animal studies show promise that nutritional interventions and
physical activity may rescue much of the adverse effects of obesity on offspring
metabolic health. Further, these maternal interventions improve the health of the
offspring by reducing weight gain, cardiovascular disorders, and improving glucose
tolerance. Mechanisms from animal studies have also been proposed to elucidate
the signaling pathways that regulate inflammation, lipid metabolism, and oxidative
capacity of the tissue, ultimately providing potential specific courses of treatment. This
review aims to pinpoint the risks of maternal obesity and provide plausible intervention
strategies. We delve into recent research involving both animal and human studies
with maternal interventions. With the increasing concerning of obesity rates witnessed
in the United States, it is imperative to acknowledge the long-term effects posed on
future generations and specifically modify maternal nutrition and care to mitigate these
adverse outcomes.
Citation: Shrestha A, Prowak M, Berlandi-Short V-M, Garay J and Ramalingam L (2021) Maternal Obesity: A Focus on Maternal Interventions to Improve Health of Offspring. Front. Cardiovasc. Med. 8:696812. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.696812