Birth weight and subsequent risk of obesity: a systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract

This report describes the association between birth weight (BW) and obesity. Screening of 478 citations from five electronic databases resulted in the inclusion of 33 studies, most of medium quality. The meta-analysis included 20 of these published studies. The 13 remaining articles did not provide sufficient dichotomous data and were systematically reviewed, revealing results consistent with the meta-analysis. Our results revealed that high BW (>4000 g) was associated with increased risk of obesity (odds ratio [OR], 2.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.91-2.24) compared with subjects with BW ≤ 4000 g. Low BW (<2500 g) was associated with decreased risk of obesity (OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.46-0.80) compared with subjects with BW ≥ 2500 g. However, when two studies exhibited selection bias were removed, the results indicated no significant association between low BW and obesity (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.58-1.04). Sensitivity analyses showed that differences in the study design, sample size and quality grade of the study had an effect on the low BW/obesity association, which low BW was not associated with the risk of obesity in cohort studies, studies with large sample sizes and studies with high quality grades. Pooled results were similar when normal birth weight (2500-4000 g) was used as the reference category. Subgroup analyses based on different growth and developmental stages (pre-school children, school children and adolescents) also revealed that high BW was associated with increased risk of obesity from childhood to early adulthood. No significant evidence of publication bias was present. These results suggest that high BW is associated with increased risk of obesity and may serve as a mediator between prenatal influences and later disease risk.

Validity of informed birth weight. Study of Cardiovascular Risk in Adolescents (ERICA) - Rio de Janeiro

“…) and elevated (≥ 4,000 g) birth weight categories, Gwet's Agreement Coefficient = 0.91; Conclusions: the results showed satisfying agreement between the birth weight referred by the parent/guardian of the adolescents, and the ones registered in SINASC, this agreement being directly proportional to the mother's educational level.…”

“…1 Furthermore, birth weight has been associated with risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, such as overweight and obesity, in several studies. [2][3][4] In epidemiological studies, the information on birth weight depends on the memory of the interviewee, while in clinical trials there may be problems due to the lack of communication between maternities and pediatric services. 5 In recent years, the number of researches in the health department that use the method of record linkage has been rising.…”

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Abstract

Objectives: to verify the agreement between birth weight information referred by the guardians of the adolescents who participated in the Study of Cardiovascular Risks in (2,500 to 3,999 g) and elevated (≥ 4,000 g) birth weight categories, Gwet's Agreement Coefficient = 0.91; Conclusions: the results showed satisfying agreement between the birth weight referred by the parent/guardian of the adolescents, and the ones registered in SINASC, this agreement being directly proportional to the mother's educational level.

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Physical Fitness and Birth Weight in Young Men From Maputo City, Mozambique

“…There is an inverse association between low birth weight (<2,500 g) and risk of the metabolic syndrome 8 . Likewise, excessive birth weight (>4,000 g) was associated with increased risk of obesity (OR, 2.07; 95%, CI =1.91 to 2.24) 9 . In terms of motor performance, birth weight was considered an important determinant of the variance of neuromotor development in children 10 and an inducer of permanent deficits in muscle strength and running speed performance 11 .…”

Relationship between prenatal growth, postnatal growth and childhood obesity: a review

“…4,[6][7][8] It has been hypothesized that the relation between birthweight and obesity may follow a U or J-shaped curve, with higher risk at both extremes of the birthweight distribution. 7,9 Empirical evidence has shown that obesity risks typically increase linearly with weight at birth: high birthweight infants are at higher risk of long-term overweight; 8 evidence of higher risk of obesity at the low end of the birthweight distribution has been less frequently observed. 8,[10][11][12] High birthweight may be associated with later obesity due to larger size stemming from high levels of lean mass, 13,14 while low birthweight may be associated with higher central adiposity.…”