Prenatal Vitamin D Levels Influence Growth and Body Composition until 11 Years in Boys

Nutrients. 2023 Apr 23;15(9):2033. doi: 10.3390/nu15092033.

Abstract

Background: Gestational vitamin D levels may influence offspring growth and modulate adipogenesis. Findings from prospective studies are inconsistent, and few have evaluated the persistence of these associations into late childhood.

Objective: To examine the association between prenatal vitamin D levels and growth and adiposity in late childhood.

Methods: We included 2027 mother-child pairs from the INMA birth cohort. 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (vitamin D3) levels were measured in serum at 13 weeks of pregnancy. Sex- and age-specific body mass index z-scores were calculated at 7 and 11 years, overweight was defined as z-score ≥ 85th percentile, and body fat mass was measured at 11 years. Z-score body mass index (zBMI) trajectories from birth to 11 years were identified using latent class growth analysis.

Results: The prevalence of vitamin D3 deficiency (<20 ng/mL) was 17.5%, and around 40% of the children had overweight at both ages. Associations between vitamin D levels and outcomes differed by sex. In boys, maternal vitamin D3 deficient status was associated with higher zBMI, higher fat mass percentage, higher odds of being overweight, and with an increased risk of belonging to lower birth size followed by accelerated BMI gain trajectory. In girls no associations were observed.

Conclusion: Our results support a sex-specific programming effect of early pregnancy vitamin D3 levels on offspring body composition into late childhood observed in boys.

Keywords: body mass index; epidemiology; fat mass; growth; overweight; paediatrics; pregnancy; vitamin D.

MeSH terms

  • Body Composition
  • Child
  • Cholecalciferol
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Overweight / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy
  • Prospective Studies
  • Vitamin D Deficiency* / epidemiology
  • Vitamin D*
  • Vitamins

Substances

  • Vitamin D
  • Vitamins
  • Cholecalciferol

Grants and funding

Júlia Sangüesa holds a PFIS fellowship, funded from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III through the project “FI19/00124” (Co-funded by European Social Fund, “Investing in your future”) ISGlobal acknowledges support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the State Research Agency through the “Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa 2019–2023” Program (CEX2018-000806-S), and support from the Generalitat de Catalunya through the CERCA Program. Cohort INMA-Menorca: INMA Menorca was funded by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Red INMA G03/176; CB06/02/0041; 97/0588; 00/0021-2; PI061756; PS0901958; PI14/00677 incl. FEDER funds), CIBERESP, Beca de la IV convocatoria de Ayudas a la Investigación en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas de La Caixa, and EC Contract No. QLK4-CT-2000-00263. Cohort INMA-Valencia: INMA Valencia was funded by Grants from UE (FP7-ENV-2011 cod 282957 and HEALTH.2010.2.4.5-1), Spain: ISCIII (Red INMA G03/176, CB06/02/0041; FIS-FEDER: PI03/1615, PI04/1509, PI04/1112, PI04/1931, PI05/1079, PI05/1052, PI06/1213, PI07/0314, PI09/02647, PI11/01007, PI11/02591, PI11/02038, PI12/00610, PI13/1944, PI13/2032, PI14/00891, PI14/01687, PI16/1288, and PI17/00663; Miguel Servet-FEDER CP11/00178, CP15/00025, and CPII16/00051), Generalitat Valenciana: FISABIO (UGP 15-230, UGP-15-244, and UGP-15-249), and Alicia Koplowitz Foundation 2017. Cohort INMA-Sabadell: INMA Sabadell was funded by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Red INMA G03/176; CB06/02/0041; PI041436; PI081151 incl.FEDER funds) PI12/01890 incl. FEDER funds; CP13/00054 incl. FEDER funds), CIBERESP, Generalitat de Catalunya-CIRIT 1999SGR 00241, Generalitat de Catalunya-AGAUR (2009 SGR 501, 2014 SGR 822), Fundació La marató de TV3 (090430), Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (SAF2012-32991 incl. FEDER funds), Agence Nationale de Securite Sanitaire de l’Alimentation de l’Environnement et du Travail (1262C0010), European Commission (261357, 308333, 603794 and 634453). Maribel Casas hold a Miguel Servet contract (CP16/00128) awarded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (co-funded by the European Social Fund “Investing in your future”). Generalitat de Catalunya—CIRIT 1999SGR 00241. Cohort INMA-Gipuzkoa: This study was funded by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (FIS-PI06/0867, FIS-PI09/00090, FIS-PI18/01142 include FEDER funds and FIS-PI18/01237 incl. FEDER funds), CIBERESP, Department of Health of the Basque Government (2005111093, 2009111069, 2013111089, 2015111065 and 2018111086), and the Provincial Government of Gipuzkoa (DFG06/002, DFG08/001 and DFG15/221 and DFG 89/17) and annual agreements with the municipalities of the study area (Zumarraga, Urretxu, Legazpi, Azkoitia y Azpeitia y Beasain).