Planning Ahead
This research study will characterize the length/weight and metabolic status of offspring of obese mothers. Research that focuses on the long-term effects of the perinatal environment on the developing fetus, termed metabolic programming, may provide further understanding of the obese intrauterine environment and its relative contribution to offspring obesity. The current study will provide the preliminary data and the foundation for a larger cohort study to determine if adiposity and/or other biomarkers at birth predict adiposity in childhood.
If adiposity at birth identifies infants at risk of developing obesity, interventions initiated from birth forward may prevent or reduce this risk. Ultimately, developing cost-effective interventions to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity is necessary to curtail this epidemic.
The research study, Is Maternal Weight Associated with Newborn Body Composition?, is being conducted by Jami Josefson, MD, pediatric endocrinologist at Lurie Children's and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.