Abstract: Maternal dietary nutrition during pregnancy and lactation plays a critical role in offspring bone development. It not only alters the programming of skeletal development in utero, but also affects early postnatal bone growth and long-term skeletal health. This article elaborates on the impacts of maternal protein intake, high-fat/high-cholesterol diet, high-sugar diet, levels of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, calcium and vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy and lactation on offspring bone development. Furthermore, it reviews the potential mechanisms from the aspects of epigenetic regulation, endocrine signaling, and offspring nutrient acquisition, aiming to provide scientific guidance for maternal nutritional supplementation during these critical periods.

Key words: maternal dietary nutrition; offspring; bone development; early-life period; bone formation