Birth weight and body composition in 6‐to‐8 years old Maya children

Abstract

Objective: To test the hypothesis that fetal growth, indexed by birth weight (BW), induce metabolic adjustments in the fetus that will be reflected in differences in body composition in a sample of 6-to 8-years old urban Maya children from Yucatan, Mexico. Methods: We measured height (cm), weight (kg) and triceps skinfold (mm) in 260 children (boys: 132, girls: 128), and height (cm) and weight (kg) in their mothers. Body composition was estimated in children through bioelectrical impedance analysis. Outcome variables were fat free-mass index (FFMI = fatfree mass [kg]/height [m] 2 ) and fat mass index (FMI = fat mass [kg]/height [m] 2 ). The main independent variable was BW z-scores. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyze the association between BW z-scores and outcome variables measured during childhood. Separate analyses were done for boys and girls. Complementary models were run using outcomes as zscores. Models were adjusted for location, children's and mothers' age, mother's body mass index and household overcrowding index.Results: BW in boys was positively associated with FFMI and FMI. FFMI increase 0.34 kg/m 2 per 1-SD increase in BW and FMI increase 0.40 kg/m 2 per 1-SD increase in BW. When outcomes were used as z-scores, FFMI increase 0.24 SD and FMI increase 0.18 SD per 1-SD increase in BW, respectively. Conclusion: Our results are in contrast with previous findings that birth weight is more consistently associated with subsequent lean mass than with fat mass. Associations, detected only in boys, may be explained by sex differences in sensitivity to early life environments.

Development of birthweight and length for gestational age and sex references in Yucatan, Mexico

“…body composition during childhood (Azcorra et al, 2016;Azcorra et al, 2021;Azcorra & Méndez, 2018;Osorno-Covarrubias et al, 2002;Varela-Silva et al, 2009). We hope to stimulate future studies aimed at analyzing the link between size at birth and phenotype, and functional characteristics and illnesses during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood by using these references as a methodological tool that allow situating any sample from Yucatan in the context of the population this belong.…”

“…Since the references we produced derive from a population‐based dataset over 5‐year period, these can be used by researchers to compare their samples and answer a wide range of research questions about variability in growth and phenotype at birth. Few studies have analyzed the birthweight in Yucatec population and its relationship with maternal characteristics, neonatal mortality, and body composition during childhood (Azcorra et al, 2016 ; Azcorra et al, 2021 ; Azcorra & Méndez, 2018 ; Osorno‐Covarrubias et al, 2002 ; Varela‐Silva et al, 2009 ). We hope to stimulate future studies aimed at analyzing the link between size at birth and phenotype, and functional characteristics and illnesses during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood by using these references as a methodological tool that allow situating any sample from Yucatan in the context of the population this belong.…”

Small for gestational age and anthropometric body composition from early childhood to adulthood: the Aboriginal Birth Cohort study

“…Another study in South Africa (infants aged 24 months) reported positive associations between weight gain and fat mass, fat-free mass, fat mass index, and fat-free mass index with no difference between genders ( 57 ). In Mexico, a study of Maya children (mean age 7.5 years) indicated that birth weight was positively associated with fat-free mass index and fat mass index among males only ( 58 ). A study of Brazilian adults (aged 35–74 years) found that low birth weight predicted higher levels of truncal fat in females but not in males ( 59 , 60 ).…”

Diabesity among the Yucatecan Maya. Metabolism, genotype, phenotype and considerations of the sociocultural environment and early development.

“…The Yucatecan Maya show the shortest heights in the global adult population as a result of chronic undernutrition during childhood. Also, birth weight has been positively associated with fat and fat-free mass in Maya children at 6-8 years of age (56). The phenotypic characteristics acquired early in development appear to be transmitted intergenerationally through epigenetic processes.…”