Prenatal Depression and Gestational Diabetes Linked to Higher Childhood Obesity Risk: JAMA

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that both prenatal depression and gestational diabetes were associated with an increased risk of childhood obesity, with gestational diabetes showing a stronger effect. Children exposed to both conditions had the highest obesity risk, though the effects appeared additive rather than synergistic. These findings highlight the importance of universal prenatal screening, risk stratification, and targeted preventive interventions for affected children.

The prospective cohort study tracked 2,03,333 birthing parent–child pairs from 2011 to 2021. This research examined medical records from June 2024 to December 2025 that included universal screening results for gestational diabetes and prenatal depression, along with children’s height and weight measurements through age 10.

Childhood obesity was defined using body mass index (BMI) z scores at or above the 95th percentile, based on benchmarks from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rates of obesity rose steadily as children aged: 14.6% between ages 2.0 and 4.9 years, 16.5% between 5.0 and 7.9 years, and 21.8% between 8.0 and 10.0 years.

Children exposed to prenatal depression had a 7% to 8% higher risk of obesity in early and middle childhood compared with unexposed peers. The risk was slightly lower by ages 8 to 10. The children exposed to gestational diabetes had a 29% higher risk of obesity between ages 2.0 and 4.9 years. That risk climbed to 45% between ages 5.0 and 7.9 years and remained elevated at 39% among those aged 8.0 to 10.0 years.

Children whose birthing parents experienced both gestational diabetes and prenatal depression had the highest risk of obesity across all age groups. For example, among children aged 5.0 to 7.9 years, joint exposure was associated with a 54% increased risk compared with children exposed to neither condition.

Also, statistical analysis found no evidence that the two conditions interacted synergistically. Instead, their combined effect appeared additive — meaning each condition independently contributed to risk. After further adjusting for pre-pregnancy body mass index, the associations weakened somewhat but remained particularly robust in children aged 5.0 to 7.9 years. Overall, the findings illuminate the importance of comprehensive prenatal care that integrates mental and metabolic health screening. 

Source:

Peterson, A. K., Avalos, L. A., Zhu, Y., Craft, M. A., Greenberg, M., Ngo, A., Quesenberry, C. P., & Ferrara, A. (2026). Joint and independent associations of gestational diabetes and depression with childhood obesity. JAMA Network Open, 9(2), e2559344. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.59344