Simmons Submits Application to Translating Duke Health-Children's Health and Discovery Initiative

Kudos to Leigh Ann Simmons and her entire team for their application submission to Translating Duke Heath – Children’s Health and Discovery Initiative entitled “Effect of Maternal Prenatal Morbidity on Early Childhood Risk Factors for Cardiometabolic Disease.” This proposal requests funding for a two-year period with a start date of May 1, 2018.

Prenatal maternal obesity is a risk factor for pediatric obesity and related cardiometabolic diseases, all of which lead to poor adult health. However, not every child born to a mother with obesity develops cardiometabolic disease, and prenatal/early childhood behavioral interventions to address obesity show mixed success, suggesting that biobehavioral intervention targets must be refined to improve outcomes. Using data from an extant cohort of 1,555 obese women recruited at 15-18 weeks gestation and followed to 3 years postpartum, we will develop a model for predicting cardiometabolic risk among 3-year-old children. The specific aims are to: (1) Characterize cardiometabolic risk 3 years post-birth. (2) Identify independent biological, psychological, sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical predictors of cardiometabolic risk 3 years post-birth. (3) Develop a model for predicting cardiometabolic risk 3 years post-birth. Findings will refine biobehavioral and clinical targets for prenatal and early life interventions for obese women and their children.