PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Mum’s obesity linked to child’s heightened hospital admission risk for infection

Findings highlight importance of healthy body weight before and after pregnancy

2025-06-03
(Press-News.org) Children born to mothers who are very obese with a BMI of 35 or higher are at heightened risk of being admitted to hospital for an infection, finds a long term study published in the open access journal BMJ Medicine.

The findings highlight the importance of maintaining a healthy body weight before and after the pregnancy, say the researchers.

On current trends, the global prevalence of maternal obesity is projected to reach nearly 1 in 4 (23%) by 2030, point out the researchers. This is of particular concern, given that obesity is characterised by a state of chronic inflammation, which increases the risk of a disordered immune system response, changes in gene expression, and unfavourable changes to the gut microbiome alterations, all of which can influence the long term health of the developing fetus, they add.

Previously published studies on whether maternal weight is associated with childhood infection have failed to reach consensus, and it’s unclear if various potentially modifiable factors, such as breastfeeding, method of delivery, and pregnancy weight gain, might influence outcomes, say the researchers.

To find out, the researchers drew on participants in the Born in Bradford study, which has been looking at the potential impact of social, environmental, and genetic factors on short and long term mother and child health outcomes.

Women (9037) who had given birth to a living child at the Bradford Royal Infirmary between March 2007 and December 2010, and for whom information on their height and weight was available, were included in the analysis. 

Some 4196 (45%) women were of Pakistani, and 3742 (40%) of white British, ethnicity. And 37% of the entire sample lived in the most socioeconomically deprived areas of the UK. 

Their children’s (9540) health—specifically, number of admissions to hospital for an infection and number of infections within their first 5 years—was tracked from birth until the age of 15, they withdrew from the study, or died, whichever came first by October 2022.

Infections were categorised as: upper respiratory tract; lower respiratory tract; skin and soft tissue; genitourinary; gastrointestinal; invasive bacterial; and multisystem viral.

The authors looked at whether particular factors might affect the association between maternal BMI and childhood infection. These included: breastfeeding for 6 or more weeks after birth; caesarean (C) section delivery; preterm birth under 37 weeks; excessive weekly average weight gain and excessive total weight gain while pregnant; and child obesity.

The mums-to-be were weighed at the first antenatal (booking) appointment; again between 26-28 weeks of pregnancy, together with height; and during a routine third trimester appointment. About 30% of the women were overweight and 26% were obese, which included 10% who were grades 2-3 obese (BMI of 35 or above), based on first trimester BMI.

In all, there were 5009 hospital admissions for infection between birth and the age of 15. About 30% of the children were admitted to hospital for infection at least once up to the age of 15: 19% were admitted once; 6% twice; and 4% 3 or more times.

The highest admission rates were among infants under a year of age (134.6 admissions/1000 person years, which fell to 19.9/1000 person years among 5-15 year olds. 

Crude admission rates rose in tandem with BMI: 39.7 admissions/1000 person years among children whose mothers were a healthy weight compared with 60.7/1000 person years among those whose mothers were obese (grades 2-3).

After adjusting for potentially influential factors, maternal BMI was positively associated with rates of hospital admission for infection across all ages, but the results were statistically significant only for children whose mothers were the heaviest (obesity grades 2-3).

These children were 41% more likely to be admitted to hospital for an infection when they were under 1 year old after accounting for potentially influential factors, such as mother’s age, ethnicity, and area deprivation level compared with those with mothers of a healthy weight. And they were 53% more likely to do so between the ages of 5 and 15.

The observed associations were slightly stronger in boys than in girls, and in Pakistani women than in white British women. Respiratory, gastrointestinal, and multisystem viral infections accounted for most of the excess hospital admissions.

Of the potentially modifiable factors assessed, preterm birth accounted for a modest proportion of the association (7%) between obesity grades 2-3 and childhood infections during the first five years. 

But C-section birth accounted for 21% and child obesity at age 4-5 accounted for 26%, suggesting these might be potentially modifiable risk factors, suggest the researchers. Breastfeeding for 6 or more weeks and excessive pregnancy weight gain (both average weekly and total) weren’t significantly associated.

This is an observational study, and as such, can’t establish cause and effect. The researchers also acknowledge that their study relied on data from only one hospital and substantial amounts of information on breastfeeding and child BMI were missing. Nor were they able to factor in environmental and lifestyle factors.

But they nevertheless conclude: “The findings of our study highlight the need for public health campaigns and additional support for healthcare professionals to help women of reproductive age achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. 

“Although the results indicated a modest effect of maternal obesity, and only in those with obesity grades 2-3, the potential effect on a large number of children globally is substantial.”

END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Millions of new solar system objects to be found and ‘filmed in technicolor’ – studies predict

2025-06-03
A group of astronomers from across the globe, including a team from the University of Washington and led by Queen’s University Belfast, have revealed new research showing that millions of new solar system objects will be detected by a brand-new facility, which is expected to come online later this year.   The NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory is set to revolutionize our knowledge of the solar system’s “small bodies” — asteroids, comets and other minor planets.  The Rubin Observatory, ...

Pitt study has upended decades-old assumptions about brain plasticity

2025-06-03
A new study from Pitt researchers challenges a decades-old assumption in neuroscience by showing that the brain uses distinct transmission sites — not a shared site — to achieve different types of plasticity. The findings, published in Science Advances, offer a deeper understanding of how the brain balances stability with flexibility, a process essential for learning, memory and mental health. Neurons communicate through a process called synaptic transmission, where one neuron releases chemical messengers called neurotransmitters ...

Hertz Foundation partners with Analog Devices to empower future leaders in analog, digital and software technology solutions

2025-06-03
The Hertz Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering the nation’s most promising innovators, and Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI), a global semiconductor leader, have announced a new partnership to drive the next generation of scientific leadership in analog, digital, and software technology solutions. Through the Hertz Fellowship – the nation’s most prestigious doctoral fellowship – and its influential network of 1,300 Hertz Fellows, the Hertz Foundation has been at the forefront of advancing science and technology for more than 60 years. Hertz Fellows are responsible for some of the most significant progress of the past century, from the recent launch of the ...

Would you hand over your health data if it meant better care?

2025-06-03
Despite growing concerns about data privacy, new research from the University of South Australia shows that most people are happy to hand over their health information if it could help improve their care.   In a new global study, UniSA researchers found that 94% of people who use wearable activity trackers – such as Fitbits, Garmins, as well as Samsung or Apple Watches – are open to sharing data with their healthcare providers.   Of these respondents, 47% of people had already discussed their data with their healthcare provider, ...

Study examines how well wearable tech tracks fitness metrics

2025-06-03
OXFORD, Miss. – Many Americans rely on their Apple Watches or similar devices each day to count their steps, track workouts, and measure how many calories they burn. But are those wearable devices accurate? University of Mississippi professor Minsoo Kang and doctoral student Ju-Pil Choe are working to answer that question. Kang, a professor of sport analytics, and Choe reviewed 56 studies that compared the Apple Watch to trusted reference tools in measuring energy burned, heart rate and step counts. Data ...

Dr. Nikolaos Koundouros wins 2025 Tri-Institutional Breakout Award

2025-06-03
Dr. Nikolaos Koundouros, a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Pharmacology at Weill Cornell Medicine, has been awarded a 2025 Tri-Institutional Breakout Award for Junior Investigators. Weill Cornell Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and The Rockefeller University present the awards to up to six exceptional investigators each year—at least one from each institution—who are recognized for their notable research achievements, impactful findings and high potential for success as independent investigators. ...

Low vs. High blood pressure avoidance in non-cardiac surgery: Neurocognitive outcomes unchanged

2025-06-03
A large international study has found that two different approaches to managing blood pressure in older adults undergoing non-cardiac surgery, one avoiding low blood pressure (hypotension) and the other high blood pressure (hypertension), lead to similar outcomes in terms of in-hospital delirium and cognitive changes one year after surgery. The findings were published on June 3 in Annals of Internal Medicine. The randomized controlled trial, a substudy of the POISE-3 trial, included 2,603 patients across 54 centres in 19 countries undergoing non-cardiac surgery. Participants were 70 years old on ...

Telehealth can improve care for cats with chronic health issues

2025-06-03
Caring for a cat with chronic health conditions can be challenging for all involved, from the process of getting to a veterinary clinic to the stress of being in a strange environment with new smells and animals. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, worked with pet owners across the United States and Canada to determine whether video telehealth visits could help improve care and the home environment for cats with feline degenerative joint disease, commonly referred to as feline arthritis. The findings, published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science, show that video calls where pet owners can ask questions and get non-medical ...

Researchers develop innovative model to study sense of smell

2025-06-03
Using a newly devised, three-dimensional model to study the regeneration of nerve tissue in the nose, researchers at Tufts University School of Medicine and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) and colleagues have discovered that one type of stem cell thought to be dormant may play a more significant role in preserving the sense of smell than originally believed. Unlike cells in the central nervous system, sensory neurons in the nasal cavity have a remarkable ability to regenerate throughout life despite near constant exposure to the outside ...

Birds may be drinking on the wing, but in moderation

2025-06-03
A new paper published in Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology examines alcohol consumption in avian species.  In “The proof is in the plumage: a method for detecting dietary ethanol exposure in birds by testing for ethyl glucuronide in feathers,” authors Cynthia Y. Wang-Claypool, Ammon Corl, Joseph Jones, Jimmy A. McGuire, Rauri C.K. Bowie and Robert Dudley investigated whether birds that eat sugar-rich foods—like fruit and nectar—might regularly consume alcohol produced by natural fermentation. ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

New insights into seasonal shifts in sleep

Estimating microbial biomass from air-dried soils: A safer, scalable approach

AI in healthcare needs patient-centred regulation to avoid discrimination – new commentary

A good soak in a hot tub might beat a sauna for health benefits

Surgery plus speech therapy linked to improved language after stroke

GP performance pay fails to drive lasting changes in quality of care

Focusing on weight loss alone for obesity may do more harm than good

In sub-Saharan Africa, 1 in 6 cancer medications found to be defective

Newborns require better care to improve survival and long-term health

EMBARGOED: New study shows almost half of hospital patients in Malawi and Tanzania have multiple health conditions

People with symptoms of chronic lung disease in Kenya face ‘catastrophic’ health costs

Sylvester Cancer Tip Sheet - June 2025

UC Davis and Proteus Space to launch first-ever dynamic digital twin into space

Olympians' hearts in focus: groundbreaking study reveals elite rowers' surprising AFib risk

Common medicine for autoimmune diseases works on giant cell arteritis

Your neighborhood may be tied to risk of inflammation, dementia biomarkers

AAN issues position statement on possible therapies for neurological conditions

Liver organoid breakthrough: Generating organ-specific blood vessels

LRA awards 2025 Lupus Insight Prize to Dr. Deepak Rao for uncovering key drivers of immune imbalance in lupus

Terasaki Institute’s Dr. Yangzhi Zhu recognized as 2024 Biosensors Young Investigator Award Recipient

NAU researchers launch open-source robotic exoskeleton to help people walk

Early farmers in the Andes were doing just fine, challenging popular theory

Seeing men as the “default” may be tied to attitudes to politicians, Black people

Risk of crime rises when darkness falls

Data from Poland, Indonesia and Nepal indicate that affectionate behavior is associated with higher relationship satisfaction - though cultural differences impact how affection is displayed and percei

"Boomerang" made from mammoth tusk is likely one of the oldest known in Europe at around 40,000 years old, per analysis of this artifact from a Polish Upper Paleolithic cave

"Shrinking" cod: how humans have altered the genetic make-up of fish

Nitrate in drinking water linked to preterm birth rates

Ancient canoe replica tests Paleolithic migration theory

Eight-month-old babies can adapt their learning style to change

[Press-News.org] Mum’s obesity linked to child’s heightened hospital admission risk for infection
Findings highlight importance of healthy body weight before and after pregnancy