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Foetal tobacco and cannabis exposure, body fat and cardio‐metabolic health in childhood
Author(s) -
CajachaguaTorres Kim N.,
El Marroun Hanan,
Reiss Irwin K. M.,
Santos Susana,
Jaddoe Vincent W. V.
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
pediatric obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.226
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 2047-6310
pISSN - 2047-6302
DOI - 10.1111/ijpo.12863
Subject(s) - medicine , body mass index , offspring , pregnancy , odds ratio , overweight , confidence interval , population , cannabis , prospective cohort study , endocrinology , obstetrics , physiology , environmental health , psychiatry , biology , genetics
Summary Background Foetal tobacco and cannabis exposure may have persistent cardio‐metabolic consequences in the offspring. Objective We examined the associations of maternal and paternal tobacco and cannabis use during pregnancy with offspring body fat and cardio‐metabolic outcomes. Methods In a population‐based prospective cohort study among 4792 mothers, fathers, and children, we assessed parental substance use by questionnaires. Childhood outcomes included body mass index (BMI), body fat, blood pressure, and lipid, glucose and insulin concentrations at 10 years. Results Children exposed to maternal tobacco use during pregnancy had a higher android/gynoid fat mass ratio (difference 0.22 SDS, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.13, 0.30), fat mass index (difference 0.20 SDS, 95% CI: 0.12, 0.28), triglyceride concentrations (difference 0.15 SDS, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.26), and a higher risk of overweight (odds ratio [OR] 1.35, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.71), compared to non‐exposed. Children exposed to maternal cannabis during pregnancy had a higher BMI (difference 0.26 SDS, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.44), android/gynoid fat mass ratio (difference 0.21 SDS, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.39), and fat‐free mass index (difference 0.24 SDS, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.41), compared to non‐exposed. The associations for paternal substance use with child cardio‐metabolic health outcomes were similar as those for maternal use. Conclusions Similar associations for maternal and paternal substance use during pregnancy suggest that these findings may be explained by shared family‐based social and lifestyle factors, rather than by direct foetal programming.