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Relationships between Prenatal Distress and Infant Body Mass Index in the First Year of Life in a Lower-Middle Income Country

Author

Listed:
  • Ann-Sophie Therrien

    (Department of Physical Activity Sciences, University of Quebec in Montreal, Montreal, QC H2X 1Y4, Canada)

  • Giovanna Buffa

    (Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA)

  • Amanda B. Roome

    (Bassett Research Institute, Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital, Cooperstown, NY 13326, USA)

  • Elizabeth Standard

    (Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA)

  • Alysa Pomer

    (Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06520, USA)

  • Jimmy Obed

    (Ministry of Health, Port Vila PMB 9009, Republic of Vanuatu)

  • George Taleo

    (Ministry of Health, Port Vila PMB 9009, Republic of Vanuatu)

  • Len Tarivonda

    (Ministry of Health, Port Vila PMB 9009, Republic of Vanuatu)

  • Chim W. Chan

    (Department of Parasitology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka 545-8585, Japan)

  • Akira Kaneko

    (Department of Parasitology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka 545-8585, Japan
    Island Malaria Group, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 65 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Kathryn M. Olszowy

    (Department of Anthropology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA)

  • Kelsey N. Dancause

    (Department of Physical Activity Sciences, University of Quebec in Montreal, Montreal, QC H2X 1Y4, Canada)

Abstract

Prenatal stress affects body composition in childhood and later in life. However, few studies assess body composition in infancy. Furthermore, most are in high-income countries and do not consider interactive or curvilinear relationships. We assessed distress and diet during pregnancy via questionnaires among 310 women in Vanuatu, a lower-middle income country. We measured body mass index (BMI) among 54 infants at 4–12 months of age. We analyzed interactive relationships between prenatal distress and diet with BMI Z-scores, and curvilinear relationships between distress and BMI Z-scores. There were no direct linear or interactive relationships between prenatal distress or diet with BMI Z-scores. We observed curvilinear relationships between prenatal distress and BMI Z-scores ( p = 0.008), explaining 13.3 percent of unique variance. Results highlight that relationships between prenatal stress and body composition are evident in infancy but might not be detected if only linear relationships are assessed. Analyses in more diverse samples might help to explain inconsistencies in past studies.

Suggested Citation

  • Ann-Sophie Therrien & Giovanna Buffa & Amanda B. Roome & Elizabeth Standard & Alysa Pomer & Jimmy Obed & George Taleo & Len Tarivonda & Chim W. Chan & Akira Kaneko & Kathryn M. Olszowy & Kelsey N. Dan, 2020. "Relationships between Prenatal Distress and Infant Body Mass Index in the First Year of Life in a Lower-Middle Income Country," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-8, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:19:p:7351-:d:425077
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