Large-for-gestational-age phenotypes and obesity risk in adulthood: a study of 195,936 women

Abstract

While there is evidence that being born large-for-gestational-age (LGA) is associated with an increased risk of obesity later in life, the data are conflicting. Thus, we aimed to examine the associations between proportionality at birth and later obesity risk in adulthood. This was a retrospective study using data recorded in the Swedish Birth Register. Anthropometry in adulthood was assessed in 195,936 pregnant women at 10-12 weeks of gestation. All women were born at term (37-41 weeks of gestation).LGA was defined as birth weight and/or length ≥2.0 SDS. Women were separated into four groups: appropriatefor-gestational-age according to both weight and length (AGA -reference group; n = 183,662), LGA by weight only (n = 4,026), LGA by length only (n = 5,465), and LGA by both weight and length (n = 2,783). Women born LGA based on length, weight, or both had BMI 0.12, 1.16, and 1.08 kg/m 2 greater than women born AGA, respectively. The adjusted relative risk (aRR) of obesity was 1.50 times higher for those born LGA by weight and 1.51 times for LGA by both weight and height. Length at birth was not associated with obesity risk. Similarly, women born LGA by ponderal index had BMI 1.0 kg/m 2 greater and an aRR of obesity 1.39 times higher than those born AGA. Swedish women born LGA by weight or ponderal index had an increased risk of obesity in adulthood, irrespective of their birth length. Thus, increased risk of adult obesity seems to be identifiable from birth weight and ignoring proportionality.

Perinatal and maternal outcome after vitrification of blastocysts: a Nordic study in singletons from the CoNARTaS group

“…On a short-term basis large babies are more likely to suffer from intrapartal asphyxia, hypoglycemia as well as labor and shoulder dystocia. The longterm effects of being born macrosomic and LGA are less clear but some studies have shown an elevated risk of obesity and CVD (Ornoy, 2011, Gu et al, 2012, Derraik et al, 2020 as well as a higher risk for leukemia and Hodgkin's lymphoma (Roman et al, 2013, Crump et al, 2015, Petridou et al, 2015, Triebwasser et al, 2016, Groves et al, 2018. Given the fact that an increasing amount of ART cycles are performed as FET, large scale studies on the long-term effects are warranted.…”

Association among Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Cardiovascular, Obesity, and Anthropometric Variables of Overweight and Obese Middle-Aged and Older Adults

“…BMI was calculated as weight (kg) divided by height (m) squared [54]. PI was calculated as: weight (g) × 100/(height, cm 3 ) [55,56]. Biiliocristal/biacromial ratio was calculated as biiliocristal breath divided by biacromial breath, both in cm [57].…”

Birth Size and Rapid Infant Weight Gain—Where Does the Obesity Risk Lie?

“…Derraik et al retrospectively studied 195 936 Swedish women and found that those born LGA by weight, or weight and length combined, had an increased risk for obesity compared with those born AGA (adjusted relative risk 1.40; 95% CI 1.39-1.63 and 1.51; 1.37-1.67, respectively). 18 In contrast, being born LGA by length only was not associated with increased obesity risk. These authors and others have speculated that being born excessively long is genetically driven, whereas, being born excessively heavy is related to in utero factors.…”

“…This change is in part due to the increased prevalence of maternal obesity and hyperglycemia, which lead to fetal overnutrition. 17,18 Why Weight Is Not Enough Most studies looking at obesity risk have relied on anthropometric measurements such as weight, which does not indicate body size, or the BMI, which may not accurately reflect differences in body composition. Although infants who are born SGA are small, and infants who are born LGA are large, little research has explored how these differences in weight are distributed between the fat-and fat-free mass compartments.…”