A risk factor for reduced cognitive function in preschoolers has been identified

Researchers have found that the main influence on the cognitive decline of preschoolers is the mother's body mass index during pregnancy. The presence of gestational diabetes turned out to be a less significant factor.

Researchers from the University of Cambridge studied the effect of maternal body mass index during pregnancy and the presence of gestational diabetes on the learning ability of children aged 5-7 years. The results of the study were published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The analysis showed that children's learning abilities were independent of maternal glucose levels at 11-14 and 24-28 weeks of gestation. Accelerated gain in maternal abdominal circumference also had no effect on cognitive function in children aged 5-7 years.

However, the risk of not meeting educational standards was increased by 50% among children born to mothers with higher BMI (≥25 kg/m²). The association between this index and the child's educational attainment was independent of the presence of pregnancy diabetes mellitus and socioeconomic factors.

Data from 3249 UK children born at term were analyzed. Participants were divided into groups according to the presence of gestational diabetes mellitus and maternal BMI during pregnancy. The children's learning ability at ages 5-7 years was assessed. In the analysis, the influence of various maternal, child and socioeconomic factors was taken into account.

The researchers emphasized that the effect of BMI on cognitive ability can be modified by interventions before or during pregnancy to reduce body weight.