Higher vitamin D intake during pregnancy may protect children from being overweight: BMJ

Worldwide, the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency is high among pregnant women. Vitamin D contributes to the embryo implantation and is also important for placental function.

A new study by Anna Amberntsson and team reported that maternal vitamin D intake and child growth and risk of overweight varied by pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index (BMI). Vitamin D intake during pregnancy affects offspring postnatal growth, and that a higher vitamin D intake during the pregnancy has a protective effect against the risk of childhood overweight but only in children of mothers with normal prepregnancy weight. 

This study is published in BMJ Open journal.

The objective of the study was to examine the associations between maternal vitamin D intake and childhood growth and risk of overweight up to 8 years. They further examined the effect modification by maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI).

The study was a prospective population-based pregnancy cohort study. A total of 58,724 mothers and 66,840 singleton children, with information on maternal vitamin D intake during the pregnancy and minimum one postnatal anthropometric measurement. Predicted weight and height growth trajectories and velocities from 1month to 8 years, rapid growth during infancy and toddlerhood, and risk of overweight in preschool and school age.