1. Low Maternal Capital Predicts Life History Trade-Offs in Daughters: Why Adverse Outcomes Cluster in Individuals
- Author
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Wells, Jonathan CK, Cole, Tim J, Cortina-Borja, Mario, Sear, Rebecca, Leon, David A, Marphatia, Akanksha A, Murray, Joseph, Wehrmeister, Fernando C, Oliveira, Paula D, Gonçalves, Helen, Oliveira, Isabel O, and Menezes, Ana Maria B
- Subjects
2. Zero hunger ,reproduction ,education ,obesity ,trade-offs ,growth ,inter-generational effect ,life history theory ,maternal investment - Abstract
Background: Some individuals appear prone to multiple adverse outcomes, including poor health, school dropout, risky behavior and early reproduction. This clustering remains poorly understood. Drawing on evolutionary life history theory, we hypothesized that maternal investment in early life would predict the developmental trajectory and adult phenotype of female offspring. Specifically, we predicted that daughters receiving low investment would prioritize the life history functions of "reproduction" and "defense" over "growth" and "maintenance," increasing the risk of several adverse outcomes. Methods: We investigated 2,091 mother-daughter dyads from a birth cohort in Pelotas, Brazil. We combined data on maternal height, body mass index, income, and education into a composite index of "maternal capital." Daughter outcomes included reproductive status at 18 years, growth, adult anthropometry, body composition, cardio-metabolic risk, educational attainment, work status, and risky behavior. We tested whether daughters' early reproduction (