Pre-pregnancy maternal BMI classification is associated with preschool childhood diet quality and childhood obesity in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.

objectiveTo explore the effect of maternal BMI class pre-pregnancy (overweight/obese v. healthy weight/underweight) on childhood diet quality and on childhood overweight/obesity risk.

designDietary data were collected using 3-d parental-completed food records for their children at ages 18 and 43 months. An index of diet quality was derived by classification of food items into core and non-core foods. Adjusted multiple linear regression analyses were used to explore the effect of maternal BMI class on diet quality in their children.

settingAvon, UK.

participantsA 10% subsample of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Nine-hundred and eighty children provided complete dietary data at 18 months and 769 at 43 months.

resultsChildren with overweight/obese mothers consumed greater amounts of energy from non-core foods than children with healthy weight/underweight mothers (0·20 MJ (48 kcal)/d more at 18 months (P < 0·001); 0·19 MJ (45 kcal)/d more at 43 months (P = 0·008)) in adjusted models. Diet quality deteriorated between 18 and 43 months (children reduced their dietary energy intake from core foods (P < 0·001) and increased intake from non-core foods (P < 0·001)). However, this change was not associated with maternal BMI class in adjusted models. Having an overweight/obese mother was associated with an increased odds of the child being overweight/obese at 43 months (OR 1·74 (1·17, 2·58)).

conclusionsChildren aged 18 and 43 months with overweight/obese mothers are likely to have a poorer quality diet than those with healthy/underweight mothers. Parents should be supported in discouraging the consumption of non-core foods in children at these ages.