Effect of Maternal Glycemia on Neonatal Adiposity in a Multiethnic Asian Birth Cohort

Context: Gestational hyperglycemia increases the risk of obesity and diabetes in offspring later in life. Objective: We examined the relationship between gestational glycemia and neonatal adiposity in a multiethnic cohort of Singaporean neonates. Design: A prospective mother-offspring cohort study recruited 1247 pregnant mothers (57.2% Chinese, 25.5% Malay, 17.3% Indian) and performed 75-g, 2-hour oral glucose tolerance tests at 26–28 weeks' gestation; glucose levels were available for 1081 participants. Neonatal anthropometry (birth weight, length, triceps, and subscapular skinfolds) was measured, and percentage body fat (%BF) was derived using our published equation. Associations of maternal glucose with excessive neonatal adiposity [large for gestational age; %BF; and sum of skinfolds (∑SFT) > 90th centile] were assessed using multiple logistic regression analyses. Results: Adjusting for potential confounders we observed strong positive continuous associations across the range of maternal fasting and 2...