Maternal Exercise during Pregnancy Impacts Motor Performance in 9-Year-Old Children: A Pilot Study
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...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-11-01
|
| Series: | Children |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/10/11/1797 |
| _version_ | 1797459680287522816 |
|---|---|
| author | Nina Ferrari Nikola Schmidt Inga Bae-Gartz Christina Vohlen Miguel A Alejandre Alcazar Konrad Brockmeier Jörg Dötsch Esther Mahabir Christine Joisten |
| author_facet | Nina Ferrari Nikola Schmidt Inga Bae-Gartz Christina Vohlen Miguel A Alejandre Alcazar Konrad Brockmeier Jörg Dötsch Esther Mahabir Christine Joisten |
| author_sort | Nina Ferrari |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:55:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9508b4b9de16417a84270c45bbc522e3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:55:55Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Children |
| spelling | doaj.art-9508b4b9de16417a84270c45bbc522e32023-11-24T14:35:55ZengMDPI AGChildren2227-90672023-11-011011179710.3390/children10111797Maternal Exercise during Pregnancy Impacts Motor Performance in 9-Year-Old Children: A Pilot StudyNina Ferrari0Nikola Schmidt1Inga Bae-Gartz2Christina Vohlen3Miguel A Alejandre Alcazar4Konrad Brockmeier5Jörg Dötsch6Esther Mahabir7Christine Joisten8Cologne Center for Prevention in Childhood, Youth/Heart Center Cologne, University Hospital of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, GermanyDepartment for Physical Activity in Public Health, Institute of Movement and Neurosciences, German Sport University Cologne, 50933 Cologne, GermanyDepartment of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, GermanyDepartment of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, GermanyDepartment 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, GermanyCologne Center for Prevention in Childhood, Youth/Heart Center Cologne, University Hospital of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, GermanyCologne Center for Prevention in Childhood, Youth/Heart Center Cologne, University Hospital of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, GermanyComparative Medicine, Center for Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, GermanyCologne Center for Prevention in Childhood, Youth/Heart Center Cologne, University Hospital of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, GermanyThe 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.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/10/11/1797motor skillsbrain-derived neurotrophic factorbody mass indexlifestylesports interventionexercise |
| spellingShingle | Nina Ferrari Nikola Schmidt Inga Bae-Gartz Christina Vohlen Miguel A Alejandre Alcazar Konrad Brockmeier Jörg Dötsch Esther Mahabir Christine Joisten Maternal Exercise during Pregnancy Impacts Motor Performance in 9-Year-Old Children: A Pilot Study Children motor skills brain-derived neurotrophic factor body mass index lifestyle sports intervention exercise |
| title | Maternal Exercise during Pregnancy Impacts Motor Performance in 9-Year-Old Children: A Pilot Study |
| title_full | Maternal Exercise during Pregnancy Impacts Motor Performance in 9-Year-Old Children: A Pilot Study |
| title_fullStr | Maternal Exercise during Pregnancy Impacts Motor Performance in 9-Year-Old Children: A Pilot Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Maternal Exercise during Pregnancy Impacts Motor Performance in 9-Year-Old Children: A Pilot Study |
| title_short | Maternal Exercise during Pregnancy Impacts Motor Performance in 9-Year-Old Children: A Pilot Study |
| title_sort | maternal exercise during pregnancy impacts motor performance in 9 year old children a pilot study |
| topic | motor skills brain-derived neurotrophic factor body mass index lifestyle sports intervention exercise |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/10/11/1797 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ninaferrari maternalexerciseduringpregnancyimpactsmotorperformancein9yearoldchildrenapilotstudy AT nikolaschmidt maternalexerciseduringpregnancyimpactsmotorperformancein9yearoldchildrenapilotstudy AT ingabaegartz maternalexerciseduringpregnancyimpactsmotorperformancein9yearoldchildrenapilotstudy AT christinavohlen maternalexerciseduringpregnancyimpactsmotorperformancein9yearoldchildrenapilotstudy AT miguelaalejandrealcazar maternalexerciseduringpregnancyimpactsmotorperformancein9yearoldchildrenapilotstudy AT konradbrockmeier maternalexerciseduringpregnancyimpactsmotorperformancein9yearoldchildrenapilotstudy AT jorgdotsch maternalexerciseduringpregnancyimpactsmotorperformancein9yearoldchildrenapilotstudy AT esthermahabir maternalexerciseduringpregnancyimpactsmotorperformancein9yearoldchildrenapilotstudy AT christinejoisten maternalexerciseduringpregnancyimpactsmotorperformancein9yearoldchildrenapilotstudy |