Effects of parental overweight and obesity on offspring's mental health: A meta-analysis of observational studies

• Published in: PloS one 2022-12, Vol.17 (12), p.e0276469-e0276469
• Main Authors: Zhang, Shuyu, Lin, Tingting, Zhang, Yu, Liu, Xinmei, Huang, Hefeng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Autism; Autism Spectrum Disorder - complications; Autism Spectrum Disorder - etiology; Biology and Life Sciences; Body mass index; Body weight; Child; Child psychopathology; Children; Cognitive ability; Complications and side effects; Estimates; Female; Health aspects; Health risks; Humans; Hyperactivity; Male; Medicine and Health Sciences; Mental disorders; Mental Health; Meta-analysis; Mothers; Obesity; Obesity - complications; Obesity - epidemiology; Obesity, Maternal - complications; Observational studies; Offspring; Overweight; Overweight - complications; Overweight - epidemiology; Parents - psychology; Pediatric research; People and Places; Pregnancy; Prenatal influences; Psychological aspects; Quality assessment; Quality control; Risk factors; Schizophrenia; Sensitivity analysis; Social Sciences; Subgroups
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276469

Children of parents who were overweight/obese prior to pregnancy face a variety of neurodevelopmental challenges. The goal of this meta-analysis is to compile evidence about the impact of parental overweight/obesity on their children's mental health. The databases Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Pubmed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched until May 2022. The pooled effect size was calculated using the fixed and random effect models. We also performed I2 index, subgroup analyses, sensitivity analyses, quality assessment, and publication bias analysis. The protocol was registered on the PROSPERO database (CRD42022334408). For maternal exposure (35 studies), both maternal overweight [OR 1.14 (95% CI 1.10,1.18)] and maternal obesity [OR 1.39 (95% CI (1.33, 1.45)] were significantly associated with offspring's mental disorders. Maternal pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity increased the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) [OR 1.55 (95% CI 1.42,1.70)], autism spectrum disorder (ASD) [OR 1.37 (95% CI 1.22,1.55)], cognitive/intellectual delay [OR 1.40 (95% CI 1.21,1.63)], behavioral problems [OR 1.50 (95% CI 1.35,1.66)] and other mental diseases [OR 1.30 (95% CI 1.23,1.37)]. For paternal exposure (6 studies), paternal obesity [OR 1.17 (95% CI 1.06, 1.30)] but not overweight [OR 1.03 (95% CI 0.95,1.11)] was significantly associated with offspring's mental disorders. Parental overweight/obesity might have negative consequences on offspring's mental health and pre-pregnancy weight control is advised.