Exercise FITT-V during pregnancy: dose-dependent reduction in infant cellular lipid content and whole body fat.

Several human studies show positive signals, while research methods and sample sizes continue to develop.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Modifiable health behaviors such as exercise regulate adiposity in adults, but the effects of exercise during pregnancy on infant adiposity remain understudied. This report analyzed the relationship between prenatal exercise frequency, intensity, time, type, and volume (FITT-V) and infant adiposity, to better guide prenatal exercise prescription. Female participants [body mass index = 29.0 kg/m 2 , 30.5 yr of age, with gravida = 1 and parity = 0, peak oxygen consumption (V̇o 2peak ) = 21.9 mL/kg/min, and pregnant for 39.6 wk] were randomized to supervised exercise (aerobic, resistance, combination) or attention control for ∼24 wk during pregnancy. FITT-V metrics were analyzed from session records. Infant mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), a model of infant adiposity, were collected from umbilical cord at delivery, adipogenically differentiated, and stained for lipids. Infant body fat percentage was estimated from skinfolds measured at 1 mo of age. Higher weekly exercise volume correlated with lower infant body fat ( R 2 = 0.12, P = 0.03) and MSC lipids ( R 2 = 0.13, P = 0.01). Weekly exercise frequency ( R 2 = 0.06, P = 0.10) and total volume ( R 2 = 0.19, P = 0.002) influenced adiposity. Subscapular skinfolds were notably affected by exercise ( R 2 = 0.27, P < 0.001). We conclude that in utero exposure to exercise beyond minimum recommendations is associated with reduced infant ad

Evidence level

Several human studies show positive signals, while research methods and sample sizes continue to develop.

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