Division of Infection Control and Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Exposure and Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
To study the association between maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy and the child's weight gain and overweight risk up to 8 years.
Prospective nationwide pregnancy cohort.
The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study.
A total of 50?943 mothers recruited from 2002 to 2008 and their children, after singleton pregnancies, with information about average caffeine intake assessed at mid-pregnancy.
Child's body size information at 11 age points from 6 weeks to 8 years. We defined excess growth in infancy as a WHO weight gain z-score of >0.67 from birth to age 1?year, and overweight according to the International Obesity Task Force. We used a growth model to assess individual growth trajectories.
Compared with pregnant women with low caffeine intake (200?mg/day had consistently higher weight. Very high caffeine exposures were associated with higher weight gain velocity from infancy to age 8 years.
Any caffeine consumption during pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of excess infant growth and of childhood overweight, mainly at preschool ages. Maternal caffeine intake may modify the overall weight growth trajectory of the child from birth to 8 years. This study adds supporting evidence for the current advice to reduce caffeine intake during pregnancy.