Prenatal Effects of Nicotine on Obesity Risks: A Narrative Review

Olivia White, Nicole Roeder, Kenneth Blum, Rina D. Eiden and Panayotis K. Thanos
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Olivia White: Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions (BNNLA), Clinical Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
Nicole Roeder: Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions (BNNLA), Clinical Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
Kenneth Blum: Division of Addiction Research, Center for Psychiatry, Medicine & Primary Care (Office of Provost), Western University Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA
Rina D. Eiden: Department of Psychology, Social Science Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16801, USA
Panayotis K. Thanos: Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions (BNNLA), Clinical Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 15, 1-29

Abstract: Nicotine usage by mothers throughout pregnancy has been observed to relate to numerous deleterious effects in children, especially relating to obesity. Children who have prenatally been exposed to nicotine tend to have lower birth weights, with an elevated risk of becoming overweight throughout development and into their adolescent and adult life. There are numerous theories as to how this occurs: catch-up growth theory, thrifty phenotype theory, neurotransmitter or endocrine imbalances theory, and a more recent examination on the genetic factors relating to obesity risk. In addition to the negative effect on bodyweight and BMI, individuals with obesity may also suffer from numerous comorbidities involving metabolic disease. These may include type 1 and 2 diabetes, high cholesterol levels, and liver disease. Predisposition for obesity with nicotine usage may also be associated with genetic risk alleles for obesity, such as the DRD2 A1 variant. This is important for prenatally nicotine-exposed individuals as an opportunity to provide early prevention and intervention of obesity-related risks.

Keywords: development; maternal smoking; metabolic disease (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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