Objective: Low birth weight has been linked to lower lean body mass and abdominal obesity later in life, whereas high birth weight has been suggested to predict later obesity as indicated by high body mass index (BMI). We examined how birth weight was related to adult body size, body composition and grip strength. Design/subjects: Cross-sectional study on 928 men and 1075 women born in [1934][1935][1936][1937][1938][1939][1940][1941][1942][1943][1944], with measurements at birth recorded. Measurements: Height, weight, waist and hip circumference and isometric grip strength were measured. Lean and fat body mass were estimated by bioelectrical impedance with an eight-polar tactile electrode system. Results: A 1 kg increase in birth weight corresponded in men to a 4.1 kg (95% CI: 3.1, 5.1) and in women to a 2.9 kg (2.1, 3.6) increase in adult lean mass. This association remained significant after adjustment for age, adult body size, physical activity, smoking status, social class and maternal size. Grip strength was positively related to birth weight through its association with lean mass. The positive association of birth weight with adult BMI was explained by its association with lean mass. Low birth weight was related to higher body fat percentage only after adjustment for adult BMI. Abdominal obesity was not predicted by low birth weight. Conclusions: Low birth weight is associated with lower lean mass in adult life and thus contributes to the risk of relative sarcopenia and the related functional inability at the other end of the lifespan. At a given level of adult BMI, low birth weight predicts higher body fat percentage.

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Rapid gain in BMI before the age of 2 y increased adult lean body mass without excess fat accumulation, whereas rapid gain in BMI in later childhood, despite the concurrent rise in lean mass, resulted in relatively larger increases in fat mass.

The IGF system is important in regulation of fetal and childhood growth. In later life, IGF-I and IGF-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of arteriosclerosis. They are, thus, potential candidates in explaining the link between early growth and adult cardiovascular disease. We measured fasting serum IGF-I and IGFBP-1 concentrations in 394 men and women from a cohort of 7086 individuals, born between 1924 and 1933 in Helsinki, Finland, whose weight and height were recorded at birth and from 7 to 15 yr of age. They also underwent clinical examination, including measurement of body fat using bioimpedance, blood pressure, glucose tolerance, and plasma insulin and fibrinogen concentrations. Serum IGF-I was positively correlated with fasting glucose (r = 0.10, P = 0.06) and fibrinogen (r = 0.19, P = 0.0001) concentrations and blood pressure (systolic and diastolic r = 0.10, P