<p>This thesis outlined a novel
operationalization and extension of the thrifty phenotype and fetal
overnutrition hypotheses, two evolutionary developmental hypotheses stemming
from the developmental origins of health and disease perspective, for
developmental pathways from prenatal risk through child growth to early
puberty. Support has accumulated for both, but previous studies have not
clearly determined which hypothesis better predicts early puberty. Using the
Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (<i>n</i>=4898), the thrifty phenotype
and fetal overnutrition pathways were tested against each other, separately by
sex, and race/ethnicity for adrenal, and gonadal pubertal markers. Results
indicated that in general, both hypotheses were supported. Contrary to
hypotheses, the thrifty phenotype pathway did not predict perceived pubertal
timing better in boys and the fetal overnutrition pathway did not predict
perceived pubertal timing best in girls. Instead, both pathways predicted
puberty equally well between girls and boys and the fetal overnutrition pathway
stemming from maternal gestational weight gain was stronger than the
pre-pregnancy BMI pathway. Individual paths of the hypothesized pathways were
generally supported when analyzed by race/ethnicity group separately, but support
for the entire pathways were sparse. Implications of this work are that
pubertal timing may be similarly programmed by restrictive and overnutrition
prenatal risks, both should be prioritized, and that interventions for maternal
gestational weight should be prioritized over interventions for pre-pregnancy
BMI for reducing rates of early puberty. </p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:purdue.edu/oai:figshare.com:article/16930018 |
| Date | 08 November 2021 |
| Creators | Olivia C Robertson (11647522) |
| Source Sets | Purdue University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, Thesis |
| Rights | CC BY 4.0 |
| Relation | https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/Prenatal_Pathways_to_Early_Puberty_Testing_the_Thrifty_Phenotype_and_Fetal_Overnutrition_Hypotheses/16930018 |
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