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Pediatrics

Relationship between paternal excessive weight and neonatal anthropometry in a clinical trial of nutritional counseling for pregnant women with overweight

International Journal of Obesity volume 48, pages 1831–1838 (2024)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/Objectives

Human studies suggest that fathers with obesity influence infant growth and development. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between paternal body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) with neonatal anthropometry and adiposity.

Methods

This study is a cohort nested in a randomized controlled clinical trial of nutritional counseling for pregnant women with overweight. In total, 89 partner-pregnant woman-neonate triads were included. Paternal anthropometric measurements were taken at the time of the interview. Secondary data related to birth were obtained through access to the health information systems. Neonatal skinfold thickness was assessed and the adiposity was estimated using a predictive anthropometric model. Pearson’s correlation and adjusted multivariate linear regression models were employed to evaluate the relationship between paternal BMI and WC with neonatal anthropometric measurements and adiposity.

Results

In total, 57.0% of the fathers presented a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² and 14.6% a waist circumference ≥102 cm. The mean ± SD birth weight of the newborns (g) was 3357 ± 538. Paternal BMI and WC were inversely correlated with head circumference at birth [r = −0.31 (p = 0.004), r = −0.23 (p = 0.03), respectively]. Paternal BMI was also inversely correlated with the birth weight standardized by gestational age (z-score) [r = −0.23 (p = 0.03)]. In adjusted multivariate linear regression models, the paternal BMI (kg/m²) was inversely associated with the head circumference at birth (cm) [β = −0.07 (95% CI −0.15; −0.001) p = 0.04].

Conclusion

The data suggest that paternal excessive weight have a negative effect on fetal development, as assessed by anthropometric measurements. The inverse association between paternal BMI and the head circumference at birth was independent of confounders. Future studies with larger sample sizes are necessary to confirm or refute such hypotheses.

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Funding

This work was supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP 2017/15386–2, 2017/18980–2, 2021/06586-3, and 2021/06486-9), the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq 406000/2018–2 and 302487/2018–2), the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) and the Foundation for Support to Teaching, Research and Assistance of the Clinical Hospital, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (FAEPA 1039/2018, 1114/2018, 61/2019, 62/2019 and 754/2021). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection, analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil

    Mariana Rinaldi Carvalho, Naiara Franco Baroni, Natália Posses Carreira & Livia Castro Crivellenti

  2. Universidade de Ribeirão Preto (UNAERP), Avenida Costábile Romano, 2201, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14096-900, Brazil

    Daniela Elias Goulart de Andrade Miranda

  3. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Nutrição e Metabolismo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil

    Izabela da Silva Santos

  4. Departamento de Medicina Social, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes, 3900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil

    Daniela Saes Sartorelli

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  1. Mariana Rinaldi Carvalho
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  2. Daniela Elias Goulart de Andrade Miranda
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Contributions

MRC: conceptualization, methodology, data curation, statistical analysis, and roles/writing—original draft. DEGAM: conceptualization, methodology, and data curation. NFB: conceptualization, methodology, and data curation. ISS: investigation. NPC: data analysis, and writing—review & editing. LCC: conceptualization, methodology, and investigation. DSS: conceptualization, methodology, data curation, supervision, project administration, funding acquisition and writing—review & editing.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniela Saes Sartorelli.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

Ethical approval

This study was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and its execution was authorized by the Municipal Health Department of Ribeirão Preto and approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the School Health Center of the Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine University of São Paulo (96680318.5.0000.5414). It was also registered in the Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry (REBEC) under protocol RBR-5jy777. Written consent was obtained from all participants.

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Carvalho, M.R., Miranda, D.E.G.d.A., Baroni, N.F. et al. Relationship between paternal excessive weight and neonatal anthropometry in a clinical trial of nutritional counseling for pregnant women with overweight. Int J Obes 48, 1831–1838 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-024-01639-8

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