Birth weight and obesity risk at first grade of high school in a non-concurrent cohort of Chilean children

Abstract

Objective: To determine the association of birth weight with obesity risk at first grade of high school in Chilean children after accounting for potential confounding factors. Design: National non-concurrent cohort of newborns. Sociodemographic information, height, weight and anthropometric measurements at first grade of high school were analysed. Birth weight was classified as macrosomia ($4000 g), by gestational age and by ponderal index. The relationship between birth weight and obesity at first grade of high school (BMI $ 95th percentile of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's reference) was assessed using logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographic information at delivery. Setting: First grade of public high school of low and middle socio-economic status in the whole country (about 77 % of Chilean children in this age group). Subjects: Newborns (n 119 070) and the same number of high-school students. Results: A positive relationship of high ponderal index (OR 5 1?86, 95 % CI 1?69, 2?03), birth weight $4000 g (OR 5 1?66, 95 % CI 1?54, 1?78) and large for gestational age (OR 5 1?69, 95 % CI 1?58, 1?81) with obesity at adolescence (P , 0?001) was found. Macrosomic children had a higher risk of being obese at first grade of high school after controlling for prenatal confounding variables (OR 5 1?63, 95 % CI 1?52, 1?76; P , 0?001). Conclusions: A direct relationship between high birth weight and obesity at first grade of high school was observed in this group of Chilean children. The results highlight the significance of birth weight as a simple tool to be used as an indicator of obesity risk for children by health-care providers.

Birth weight and childhood obesity: a 12-country study

“…Most past studies have found a significant and positive association between birth weight and childhood obesity risk. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] A population-based cohort study from Denmark indicated an increased risk of overweight for children 6-13 years of age with birth weight ⩾ 4.0 kg compared with those with birth weight between 3.0 and 3.49 kg. 12 Another Chinese birth cohort found that children with higher birth weight ⩾ 3500 g had an increased odds of childhood overweight at 3-6 years of age compared with those having birth weight of 3000-3249 g. 15 A meta-analysis of 66 studies from 26 countries demonstrated that high birth weight (44000 g) was positively associated with increased odds of childhood overweight (OR 1.66; 95% CI: 1.55-1.77) compared with normal birth weight (2500-4000 g).…”

“…[4][5][6] Several studies have indicated that high birth weight is associated with an increased risk of childhood obesity. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] However, few studies have examined the extent to which birth weight is associated with obesity in young school children in high-, middle-and low-income countries. Moreover, the association between low birth weight and the risk of childhood obesity is controversial.…”

“…Moreover, the association between low birth weight and the risk of childhood obesity is controversial. 7,8,10,[12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Several studies have suggested that maternal and child factors, such as maternal history of gestational diabetes, infant feeding mode, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), diet, sedentary and sleeping times may confound the association between birth weight and later risk of childhood obesity, 20-22 yet few studies were able to adjust for these factors simultaneously. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the association between birth weight and the risk of obesity in 9-11-year-old children from 12 countries, adjusting for several confounding variables.…”

Development of Body Mass Index of Japanese Triplets From Birth Until the Onset of Puberty

“…In addition, several studies have reported that intrauterine growth retardation is associated with an increased prevalence for development of adult diseases such as cardiovascular and metabolic derangements (Fall et al, 1995;Godfrey & Barker, 2000); specifically, early growth failure (Singhal et al, 2003), and subsequent accelerated increase in weight gain and body mass index (BMI) during adolescence and adulthood (Bhargava et al, 2004;Loaiza & Atalah, 2012).…”

Childhood obesity

“…This suggests that measures to prevent childhood obesity must begin at birth, or even before, as birth weight was found to predict obesity at age 14 years in 119 070 Chilean children adjusting for gender, age and mother's educational attainment at delivery (7) .…”