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Association of Paternal BMI and Diet During Pregnancy with Offspring Birth Measures: The STEPS Study
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Laura Galante ,
Samuli Rautava,
Hanna Lagström ,
Clare M. Reynolds
Nutrients, Volume: 17, Issue: 5, Start page: 866
Swansea University Author:
Laura Galante
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© 2025 by the authors. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.
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DOI (Published version): 10.3390/nu17050866
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Maternal Body Mass Index (BMI), diet quality, and their associated effects on offspring birth measures are well-established. Emerging evidence, largely from animal studies, has indicated paternal factors can influence offspring birth outcomes. However, this effect is poorly un...
| Published in: | Nutrients |
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| ISSN: | 2072-6643 |
| Published: |
MDPI
2025
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| Online Access: |
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| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa69084 |
| Abstract: |
Background/Objectives: Maternal Body Mass Index (BMI), diet quality, and their associated effects on offspring birth measures are well-established. Emerging evidence, largely from animal studies, has indicated paternal factors can influence offspring birth outcomes. However, this effect is poorly understood in humans. Our aim was to examine the association between paternal BMI and diet quality score and offspring birth measures. Methods: Participants from the STEPS (Steps to the healthy development) Study in Southwest Finland were recruited during the first trimester of pregnancy or after delivery. A total of 1586 fathers and their children were included for BMI analysis, and 208 fathers and their children were included for dietary analyses. Paternal BMI was calculated using self-reported weight and height at recruitment, and dietary behaviour was assessed using the Index of Diet Quality (IDQ) at 30 weeks’ gestation. Offspring birth weight and length z-scores were calculated using the recently published references specific to the Finnish population. Generalized linear model analyses were carried out to determine associations between paternal factors and offspring z-scores. Results: The mean paternal BMI was 26 (SD ± 3.5). Over half of the fathers were classed as having an unhealthy diet, classified as poor in adhering to nutrition recommendations including higher intakes of saturated fatty acids, and inadequate intakes of protein, saccharose, fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Paternal BMI was not significantly associated with offspring birth weight (β = 0.00 p = 0.884) or birth length (β = 0.00, p = 0.774) z-scores when adjusted for maternal and other paternal and parental factors. Paternal diet quality score was not associated with offspring birth weight (β = −0.01, p = 0.515) or birth length (β = 0.07 p = 0.291) z-scores. Conclusions: This study shows paternal BMI or diet quality at 30 weeks’ gestation does not significantly impact offspring birth measures. Given the known impact of nutrition on epigenetics, examining the potential influence of paternal factors at conception on offspring growth is of major importance and should be included in future studies. |
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| Keywords: |
diet quality, birthweight, paternal influences |
| College: |
Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences |
| Funders: |
This work was supported by the Academy of Finland (grants 321409), the Juho Vainio Foundation, and Special Governmental grants for Health Sciences Research (Turku University Hospital), the Human Diversity consortium, Profi7 program by Research Council of Finland, grant 352727 and the Ad Astra Fellowship Programme, UCD. Funding is also acknowledged from the UCD Wellcome Institutional Strategic Support Fund, which was financed jointly by University College Dublin and the SFI-HRB-Wellcome Biomedical Research Partnership (ref 204844/Z/16/Z) and the Strategic Research Council (SRC) within the Research Council of Finland (grant numbers 364385 and 364371). |
| Issue: |
5 |
| Start Page: |
866 |