The children of women who are obese are much more likely to die early from heart-related problems in adulthood, a new study has found.

According to Scottish researchers, rates of maternal obesity have jumped in the last two decades. In the US, some two in three women of childbearing age are overweight and among these, one in three is obese. This pattern is similar across Europe.

While many studies have found a link between maternal obesity and diseases later on, until now, it was not clear whether maternal obesity was linked to heart-related deaths in the children of these women.

The researchers focused on almost 29,000 women and their 37,709 children. Using health records from between 1950 and the present day, they were able to track the mothers' weight and subsequent health of their children, who were all aged between 34 and 61 at the time of the follow-up.

The study found that 21% of the mothers were overweight and 4% were obese. Among the children, over 6,500 premature deaths from any cause were recorded and among these, almost 300 had obese mothers when they were born.

The researchers calculated that the risk of an early death among the adults whose mothers were obese, was 35% higher compared to those whose mothers had a healthy weight.

These results stood even when other factors were taken into account such as birth weight, the mother's age at the time of the birth and the parents' social class.

The offspring of obese mothers also had a 42% increased risk of being admitted to hospital for a heart-related event, compared to the offspring of healthy weight mothers.

The children of overweight mothers also had an increased risk of suffering some sort of adverse health event during adulthood.

The researchers from the University of Edinburgh suggest that if a mother is overweight or obese during pregnancy, this may cause permanent changes to the appetite and energy metabolism of their children. This could increase their risk of heart problems later on.

These findings are a ‘major public health concern' because of the rising rates of maternal obesity, they insisted.

They believe the children of obese mothers are at high risk of heart problems and should be encouraged to practise a healthy lifestyle.

As many women are already overweight and obese when they become pregnant, the researchers also emphasised the importance of developing strategies ‘to optimise weight before pregnancy'.

Details of these findings are published in the British Medical Journal.

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