Maternal anthropometric measurements in pregnancy and child neurocognitive and behavioral development at 1 and 6 years of age: A cohort study in Benin, Sub-Saharan Africa

2026

Article référencé dans le Web of Science WOS:001584494000001

Kerri A., Heude B., Zoumenou R., Boivin M. J., Cot Michel, Massougbodji A., Bodeau-Livinec F.

Nutrition, 2026, 141, 112914 [5 p.] ISSN 0899-9007

Background: Low and high body mass index (BMI) are hypothesized to impact offspring neurodevelopment, but less is known in sub-Saharan Africa where undernutrition is highly prevalent. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between maternal anthropometric measurements during pregnancy and neurocognitive and behavioral development in children at age 1 and 6 years, in a mother-child cohort from Benin. Methods: This prospective cohort study included surviving singletons born to pregnant women in Allada, Benin. Cognitive and motor functions of 747 and 574 children were assessed at 1 and 6 years of age, respectively, in addition to behavioral difficulties and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders. Statistical analysis using multiple linear regression models tested main associations, potential mediating factors were additionally adjusted for. Results: Total of 17%, 72.5%, 7.7% and 2.5% of women were estimated to be underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese before pregnancy, respectively. Women who were underweight had a higher median weight gain (240 [170-300]) over the course of pregnancy, compared to normal BMI women (210 [160-260]), and overweight/obese women (150 [110-240]). After exclusion of obese women, estimated prepregnancy BMI was significantly associated with higher motor scores (0.26, 95% CI 0.002-0.53) and cognitive scores (0.37, 95% CI 0.02-0.72) after adjustment for confounding factors. There was no association between gestational weight gain and offspring neurodevelopment at 1 and 6 years of age. There was no association between maternal BMI and gestational weight gain and behavior and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders at 6 years of age. Conclusions: Our study suggests that low BMI before pregnancy may impair short- and long-term neurocognition in children in the Beninese context. Undernutrition in childhood has great impact and efforts to adequate prevention for both child and maternal undernutrition should be enforced in low- and middle-income countries.

Santé : généralités [050] ; Nutrition, alimentation [054]

BENIN ; AFRIQUE SUBSAHARIENNE

Fonds IRD [F B010095305]

fdi:010095305