Lipid pathways connecting maternal BMI with infant obesity risk

TL;DR

Maternal obesity affects infant obesity risk through lipid pathways, particularly ether lipids, which could be targets for early-life interventions.

Contribution

Identifies ether lipids and plasmalogen scores as potential modifiable biomarkers linking maternal BMI to infant obesity risk.

Findings

Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI was significantly associated with maternal and cord lipids and obesity risk indicators.

Six cord blood lipids mediated up to 18% of the effect of maternal BMI on birth weight.

Infant plasmalogen scores at six months were inversely associated with BMI z-scores at four years.

Abstract

Maternal obesity is a key determinant of infant health, increasing early-life obesity risk. Lipids are mechanistically linked to obesity and may mediate intergenerational transfer, by influencing foetal or infant lipids. Using the Barwon Infant Study, we investigated associations between maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (pp-BMI), lipidomic profiles of mothers, human milk, and infants, and early life growth. Ether lipids were of particular interest due to their abundance in human milk, association with breastfeeding, and roles in metabolism and inflammation. Linear regression analyses assessed relationships between maternal pp-BMI and lipid profiles across biospecimens, and infant BMI. A composite plasmalogen score, reflecting ether lipid metabolism, was developed due to its strong associations with pp-BMI and breastfeeding. Mediation analysis assessed if cord lipids mediated the effect of pp-BMI on birth weight. Maternal pp-BMI was significantly associated with maternal and cord lipids, and obesity risk indicators. Six cord blood lipids mediated up to 18% of the effect of pp-BMI on birth weight. Maternal plasmalogen score was negatively associated with pp-BMI and positively associated with human milk and infant plasmalogen scores from birth to four years of age. Infant plasmalogen score at six months was inversely associated with BMI z-score at four years of age. These findings suggest that ether lipids may be modifiable biomarkers of metabolic programming and intervention targets to reduce obesity risk in early life.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-30081-7.

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