Research links maternal weight and abdominal fat to infant cardiac stress and heart disease risk

New scientific studies have identified specific links between maternal metabolic health and cardiovascular risks in both infants and adults.

A study coordinated by the Center for Neurosciences and Cellular Biology at the University of Coimbra (CNC-UC) found that maternal overweight or obesity before pregnancy is associated with a 26% increase in NT-proBNP levels—a marker of cardiac stress—in newborns. This effect is particularly notable in cases involving gestational diabetes, which affects approximately 15% of pregnancies globally. Researchers analyzed umbilical cord blood from 82 newborns to understand how the maternal metabolic environment influences the baby's heart before birth.

Separately, research from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Porto (FMUP) suggests that the texture and density of abdominal fat are significant indicators of coronary artery calcification and cardiovascular risk. Using radiomics and artificial intelligence to analyze CT scans of 1,736 adults, scientists determined that traditional metrics like Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference are insufficient. The study highlights that the structural properties of subcutaneous and visceral fat can reveal heart disease risks that are not visible to the naked eye or through standard weight measurements.