Is the Metabolic Syndrome a “Small Baby” Syndrome?: The Bogalusa Heart Study

Abstract

Background: Metabolic syndrome has been called a ''small baby syndrome,'' but other analyses suggest that postnatal growth is more important than birthweight, or that large babies are also at risk. The aim of this analysis was to examine whether there was a relationship between both low and high birthweight and metabolic syndrome, using multiple definitions of metabolic syndrome, and to determine whether this relationship varied by body size across the life course. Methods: Data from the Bogalusa Heart Study, a study of cardiovascular disease in children and young adults, were linked to birth certificate data. Metabolic syndrome was defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program, the International Diabetes Foundation, and the World Health Organization (WHO) definition. Smallfor-gestational-age (SGA) was defined as birthweight < 10 th percentile by sex for gestational age and large-forgestational-age (LGA) as birthweight > 90 th percentile. Birthweight-for-gestational-age was also examined as a continuous predictor. Chi-squared tests and logistic regression were used to examine the relationship between birth size and metabolic syndrome. Results: Higher birthweight-for-gestational-age was associated with a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome, especially by the WHO definition. After adjustment for body mass index (BMI), categorized birthweight was associated with metabolic syndrome, with the protective associations with LGA being stronger than the positive associations with SGA. Among the individual components of metabolic syndrome, higher waist circumference was associated with both SGA and LGA after BMI was controlled for. Effects of SGA and BMI at any age were largely independent rather than interactive. Conclusions: SGA is associated with some, but not all, components of metabolic syndrome. The relationship between SGA and metabolic syndrome is partially confounded by later BMI.

Long-term cardiovascular consequences of fetal growth restriction: biology, clinical implications, and opportunities for prevention of adult disease

“…[31][32][33] However, postnatal obesity, diabetes mellitus, or metabolic syndrome affect, in a highly heterogeneous manner, subjects who were born with a low birthweight and these conditions are actually uncommon in some reported cohorts. 34,35 Consequently, although metabolic programming must be a contributing factor, it cannot explain per se the epidemiologic association between FGR and CVDs. 36 Over the last 10 years, a second important line of evidence has shown that FGR is also associated with direct changes in the cardiovascular system.…”

Exosomes and miRNA-Loaded Biomimetic Nanovehicles, a Focus on Their Potentials Preventing Type-2 Diabetes Linked to Metabolic Syndrome

“…These works are calling for in vivo assessment of miRNA functionality when delivered by natural or biomimetic nanoparticles in order to control metabolic diseases from infancy to adulthood. Indeed, improper nutritional handling of preterm babies is a general health problem in the World ( 76 ) leading to the onset of a metabolic syndrome through nutritional programming. Epidemiological analysis ( 77 ) suggest that human milk is better than artificial infant formula by allowing appropriate nutritional programming and protecting the baby against diseases of civilization in later life (T2D, obesity, hypertension).…”

Developmental Programming of Cardiovascular Disease Following Intrauterine Growth Restriction: Findings Utilising A Rat Model of Maternal Protein Restriction

“…It is now well established that events occurring during early life can also impact on long term levels of blood pressure and cardiovascular health [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ], with impaired growth in early life leading to long term vulnerability to cardiovascular disease. Over recent decades many epidemiological studies have linked low birth weight with long term heart disease [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ] and with other disease processes that are directly associated with an increased propensity for cardiovascular disease, such as metabolic disease [ 18 , 19 ], insulin resistance [ 20 , 21 ], non-insulin dependent diabetes [ 22 , 23 ], renal disease [ 24 ] and hypertension [ 25 , 26 ].…”