How a mother's obesity or gestational diabetes before birth affects a child's metabolism and brain as they grow
Official title: Effects of prenatal exposures to maternal obesity and gestational diabetes on metabolic decline from childhood to adolescence and underlying neurobiological pathways
Funded at University of Southern California · NIH-11324886 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will follow children whose mothers had obesity or gestational diabetes during pregnancy to track changes in metabolism and brain function from childhood through adolescence.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 28, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $801,852 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK134079-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11324886 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children and adolescents whose mothers had obesity and/or gestational diabetes during pregnancy who can attend follow-up visits and imaging at the study site are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without prenatal exposure to maternal obesity or gestational diabetes, or adults beyond the adolescent years, are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
This project follows children exposed before birth to maternal obesity or gestational diabetes to learn how their bodies and brains change as they grow into their teen years. Participants come to the University for medical visits that include blood tests, metabolic measurements, and brain scans (MRI) at multiple time points. The team combines these measures to link prenatal exposures with changes in appetite, weight gain, blood sugar, hormones, and brain circuits that control energy balance. The goal is to find early signs that predict higher risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes so families and clinicians can act earlier.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal early metabolic or brain markers that help identify children at higher risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes so prevention can start sooner.
How similar studies have gone: Animal studies have shown similar prenatal programming of brain and metabolic pathways, and prior cross-sectional work from this group supports these findings, though long-term human follow-up remains limited.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Page, Kathleen Alanna — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Page, Kathleen Alanna
Related research
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Pancreatic beta cells, oxidative stress, and gestational diabetes
A study is exploring how oxidative stress and changes in pancreatic beta cells during pregnancy may contribute to gestational diabetes and future diabetes risk for both mother and baby.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.