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Maternal diet during gestation is known to affect offspring phenotypes. The majority of dietary studies in pregnancy look at restriction of protein or exposure to high fat diet. Few concentrate on the critical macronutrient for fetal growth: carbohydrates (CHO). This study analyses both human and animal data for evidence of developmental programming of adiposity and dysmetabolism in adolescent offspring. In 237 mother-child birth pairs in the human ELEMENT birth cohort, mother’s dietary carbohydrate intakes were assessed for association with child adiposity and metabolic health outcomes in peripuberty. Mothers with greater intakes of total and net CHO during pregnancy gave birth to children who had lower adiposity and lower metabolic risk during the peripubertal period. After accounting for maternal age, child age, sex, and pubertal status, children of women in the 4th vs 1st quartile of total CHO intake in the first trimester had a 0.12-unit lower BMIz score (95% CI -0.55, 0.31, p=0.10). Children of mothers in the 4th quartile of total CHO intake also had a 0.07 unit (95% CI 0.28, 0.13, p=0.13) lower metabolic risk z score in peripuberty. Measures of c-peptide followed a similar trend, such that the 4th quartile of total CHO intake in the first trimester was associated with a 0.31-unit lower c-peptide score (95% CI -0.72, 0.11, p=0.05) compared to those whose mothers were in the 1st quartile. These associations were not attributed to delivery method, child’s diet in peripuberty, or nutrient substitution with protein or fat. This was further modeled in animals by exposing pregnant mice to 10% sucrose water or tap water during gestation. Sucrose exposed dams gave birth to offspring who had greater fat mass than dams exposed to water. Female pups of sucrose-exposed dams also had less fat free mass and better insulin tolerance in young adulthood. The mechanism for these effects is yet to be elucidated, but is not attributable to maternal weight during pregnancy, offspring food intakes, or offspring feeding efficiency. Further is necessary to highlight the mechanisms underlying these divergent results to two model systems.