Maternal Exercise during Pregnancy Impacts Motor Performance in 9-Year-Old Children: A Pilot Study
Nina Ferrari,
Nikola Schmidt,
Inga Bae-Gartz,
Christina Vohlen,
Miguel A Alejandre Alcazar,
Konrad Brockmeier,
Jörg Dötsch,
Esther Mahabir,
Christine Joisten
Affiliations
Nina Ferrari
Cologne Center for Prevention in Childhood, Youth/Heart Center Cologne, University Hospital of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
Nikola Schmidt
Department for Physical Activity in Public Health, Institute of Movement and Neurosciences, German Sport University Cologne, 50933 Cologne, Germany
Inga Bae-Gartz
Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
Christina Vohlen
Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
Miguel A Alejandre Alcazar
Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Translational Experimental Pediatrics-Experimental Pulmonology, Cologne Excellence Cluster on Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
Konrad Brockmeier
Cologne Center for Prevention in Childhood, Youth/Heart Center Cologne, University Hospital of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
Jörg Dötsch
Cologne Center for Prevention in Childhood, Youth/Heart Center Cologne, University Hospital of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
Esther Mahabir
Comparative Medicine, Center for Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
Christine Joisten
Cologne Center for Prevention in Childhood, Youth/Heart Center Cologne, University Hospital of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany
The benefits of maternal physical activity during pregnancy are well documented, but long-term effects on the child have been less studied. Therefore, we conducted a pilot follow-up study of a lifestyle intervention during pregnancy that aimed to investigate whether exercise (endurance and strength training) during pregnancy affects motor performance and body composition of children up to 9 years of age, as well as possible influencing factors like brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and lifestyle. Eleven mother−child pairs from the intervention and eight mother−child pairs from the control group were included. From birth up to 9 years of age, no differences in body mass index (BMI) or body mass index standard deviation scores (BMI-SDS) were found between the groups. Lifestyle intervention was one of the influencing factors for children’s cardiorespiratory endurance capacity and coordination. Moreover, maternal BDNF in the last trimester was significantly associated with running performance, which may be due to better neuronal development. This is the first study evaluating the effects of a lifestyle intervention during pregnancy on the motor performance 9 years after birth. Children’s participation in exercise programs over the past 9 years was not continuously recorded and therefore not included in the analysis. Even a cautious interpretation of these results indicates that a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy is essential in promoting child health. Larger studies and randomized control trials are necessary to confirm our results, especially those pertaining to the role of BDNF.
