Association of Maternal Prepregnancy Weight and Gestational Weight Gain With Children’s Allergic Diseases

Year Published: 2020

JAMA Netw Open

Yiting Chen, MD; Jianzhen Zhu, MD; Jiajun Lyu, MD; et al

This cross sectional study aimed to answer the question: Are maternal prepregnancy weight and gestational weight gain associated with childhood allergies? Researchers evaluated 8,877 children for the association of maternal weight and allergies, including food allergies.

Key Findings: Excessive gestational weight gain was assocatied with a risk of food allergies, and the risk seemed to be higher when mothers were overweight or obese. Authors note that "The findings of this study suggest that, to meet the challenge of increasing childhood allergies, the management of prepregnancy weight and gestational weight gain must be considered."