Low birth weight and small for gestational age are associated with complications of childhood and adolescence obesity: Systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract

In recent decades, the incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) has increased dramatically in children and adolescents, posing a real public health problem. Beyond unhealthy diets and sedentary lifestyles, growing evidence suggests that some perinatal factors, such as low birth weight (LBW), are associated with higher risk of T2D in adulthood.In this regard, it remains unclear whether the increased risk is already present in childhood and adolescence. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to clarify the association of LBW or being small for gestational age (SGA) with insulin resistance in childhood and adolescence. The systematic review resulted in 28 individual studies, and those with the same outcome were included within two random-effects meta-analyses. Compared with children or adolescents born with adequate size for gestational age, those SGA had 2.33-fold higher risk of T2D (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-5.17). Furthermore, LBW and being SGA were associated with 0.20 higher mean homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) values (95% CI: 0.02-0.38). Given the high prevalence of preterm babies, from a population perspective, these results may be of great importance as they point to the existence of a potentially vulnerable subgroup of children and adolescents that could benefit from screening tests and early preventive strategies.

Network exploration of gene signatures underlying low birth weight induced metabolic alterations

“…Previous studies have shown that LBW is closely associated with chronic metabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome in adult life. [ 15 , 16 ] Our previous meta-analysis also showed that LBW significantly increased the future risk of developing T2DM. [ 17 ] However, the exact mechanism of LBW causing metabolic disorders is still not well understood.…”

Prenatal ozone exposure programs a sexually dimorphic susceptibility to high‐fat diet in adolescent Long Evans rats

“…Upon further investigation, our studies have suggested poor trophoblast invasion, 22 impaired fetoplacental blood perfusion, 23 and placental dysfunction 24 as critical events in the pathogenesis of ozone‐induced reductions in fetal weight. Importantly, prenatal growth restriction and exposure to air pollutants have been independently associated with an increased risk of metabolic disease in childhood 12,25 . Hence, we hypothesize that ozone‐induced FGR is likely to program a heightened risk to obesity and metabolic disease in adulthood.…”

“…Importantly, prenatal growth restriction and exposure to air pollutants have been independently associated with an increased risk of metabolic disease in childhood. 12,25 Hence, we hypothesize that ozone-induced FGR is likely to program a heightened risk to obesity and metabolic disease in adulthood.…”

Perinatal Health Inequalities in the Industrial Region of Estonia: A Birth Registry-Based Study

“…Furthermore, ICS is often the hub of multiple environmental stressors, while pregnancy and newborn stages are identified as the most susceptible life stages with high risks for health effects [ 5 , 6 , 7 ]. ABOs are considered a serious public health problem as they increase the probability of short- and long-term health consequences, including chronic diseases in later life stages [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ].…”