Recent research published in the journal Gut Microbes suggests that children born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy are at a higher risk of developing obesity, potentially due to alterations in their gut bacteria composition.
Co-senior researcher Anita Kozyrskyj, a microbiome epidemiologist and professor of pediatrics at the University of Alberta, Canada, explained that while the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and childhood obesity has been recognized, the mechanism behind it has remained unclear. The study aimed to shed light on this phenomenon by examining the gut microbiota of children born to smoking mothers.
The study, utilizing data from over 1,500 children enrolled in a long-term study of child development, analyzed weight measurements at ages 1 and 3, alongside stool samples collected at 3 and 12 months of age. Results revealed a correlation between a child’s risk of excess weight and higher levels of a specific gut bacteria type known as Firmicutes. Notably, smoking during pregnancy was linked to an increase in the abundance of Firmicutes in the child’s gut.
Firmicutes are a common component of gut bacteria and typically increase in newborns shortly after birth. However, infants of smoking mothers exhibited an accelerated and elevated increase in Firmicutes levels, suggesting a potential disruption in the normal gut microbiota development.
Although Firmicutes naturally produce a fatty acid called butyrate, which is not inherently harmful, elevated levels of this acid might contribute to weight gain in children. Further research is needed to fully elucidate the mechanisms underlying this association and the role of Firmicutes in weight regulation.
Interestingly, the study also found that the smoking effect on Firmicutes levels persisted even if mothers reduced or ceased smoking during pregnancy. However, exclusive breastfeeding for the first three months of life appeared to mitigate this effect, highlighting the potential protective role of breastfeeding against the adverse consequences of maternal smoking on gut microbiota composition.
While the study provides valuable insights into the link between maternal smoking during pregnancy, gut microbiota alterations, and childhood obesity, further studies are warranted to validate these findings and explore potential interventions to mitigate the long-term health effects associated with prenatal smoking exposure.
