# Pregnancy weight trajectories and offspring adiposity

> **NIH NIH R00** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · 2020 · $248,999

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Childhood obesity is a major public health problem that impacts health across the life course. Based on
published studies to date, pregnancy weight gain is modifiable and is associated with offspring size and
adiposity. However, there is limited evidence regarding the role of the pattern, timing and overall magnitude of
pregnancy weight gain on child adiposity development and future cardiometabolic health. The Institute of
Medicine revised recommendations for pregnancy weight gain (2009) emphasized the need for research
focusing on the pattern and timing of gain in addition to examining effects of total gain. This application
addresses this important research area. I am seeking this Pathway to Independence Award to gain additional
training in advanced trajectory modeling and human phenotyping to accomplish my career goals of becoming
an independent investigator with expertise to rigorously examine the role of maternal nutrition during
pregnancy and lactation on both maternal and child health. The training portion of this award includes formal
courses, directed readings, apprenticeships, participation in working groups, attendance of seminars and
career building activities to gain skills in: 1) longitudinal methods for trajectory analysis; 2) advanced methods
for body composition assessment and analysis; 3) dissemination of research findings and grant writing. The
research component of this project applies innovative trajectory modeling approaches to examine maternal
weight trajectories in pregnancy. I will leverage existing data from the Columbia Children’s Center for
Environmental Health Mothers and Newborns Study and the NICHD Fetal Growth Study to accomplish the
following specific aims: 1) Identify maternal weight trajectories reflecting timing and overall pattern of
gestational weight gain using nonparametric trajectory methods and to examine determinants of these
trajectories. 2) Examine how maternal weight trajectories relate to child growth, body composition and
cardiometabolic health. 3) Conduct a pilot study to evaluate whether maternal fat mass changes are
associated with specific maternal weight trajectories during pregnancy and neonatal adiposity. These training
and research activities will lead to publications, conference presentations and will prepare me to successfully
compete for R01 funding during the R00 phase.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10003367
- **Project number:** 5R00HD086304-06
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
- **Principal Investigator:** Elizabeth Marie Widen
- **Activity code:** R00 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $248,999
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-01 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10003367

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10003367, Pregnancy weight trajectories and offspring adiposity (5R00HD086304-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10003367. Licensed CC0.

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