Early Weight Gain in Infancy and Markers of Cardiometabolic Health in Young Adulthood

Abstract

It has been suggested that birth weight predicts risk for later non-communicable diseases. Further studies have shown that not only birth weight, but also early postnatal growth may predict later disease risk. Using the data collected in the longitudinal Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project this study investigated in 454 healthy subjects how early weight gain in six age intervals (birth to 7 months, 7–13 months, 13–18 months, 18–24 months, and birth to 13 and 24 months) associates with measures of cardiometabolic health at age 20 years. Linear regression analyses were controlled for 1) child’s sex, intervention/control group, gestational age, baseline weight and change in length for each interval, and 2) parents’ education, mother’s weight before pregnancy, height, and weight gain during pregnancy, and father’s body mass index at the 7-month visit. Weight gain after the first year of life associated directly, when adjusted for traits of the child and parents, with systolic blood pressure, waist circumference and body mass index at age 20 years. In the fully adjusted analyses weight gain from birth to 1 year and to 2 years of age associated inversely with insulin and insulin resistance. This study found no association between early growth and diastolic blood pressure or serum lipids. Weight gain in early life is directly linked with body mass index, waist circumference and systolic blood pressure in young adulthood. Excess weight gain during transition from infant feeding to a diet similar to the family may be of utmost significance. Prevention of cardiovascular disease should begin in infancy.