Maternal body mass index, change in weight status from childhood to late adulthood and physical activity in older age

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the longitudinal associations of maternal body mass index (BMI), weight status in childhood and late adulthood and device‐measured total physical activity (TPA) in older age. The study involves 552 participants from Helsinki Birth Cohort Study who were born in Helsinki, Finland, in 1934‐1944. TPA was measured with a multisensory body monitor at a mean age of 70 years and expressed in metabolic equivalent of task hours/day (METh/d). Childhood overweight (BMI > 85th percentile) was based on school health records at 6‐7 years of age, and late adulthood overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) was based on clinical measurements at the mean age of 61 years. Childhood overweight was associated with lower TPA, particularly in older women (mean difference −3.2 METh/d, 95% confidence interval (CI) −4.6 ‐ −1.9), and late adulthood overweight was associated with lower TPA both in older women (mean difference −6.2, 95% CI (−7.2 ‐ −5.1) and in older men (mean difference −2.6 METh/d, 95% CI −3.7 ‐ −1.5). TPA in older age was highest in participants who were normal weight both in childhood and adulthood and lowest in participants who were overweight in childhood and adulthood. In participants with childhood overweight, TPA was lower in participants who were overweight both in childhood and adulthood compared to those who were overweight only in childhood. There was a U‐shaped distribution of TPA according to maternal BMI in older women (P = .002), but not in older men. In conclusion, reaching normal weight after childhood predicted higher physical activity levels in older age.

Early-Life Factors as Predictors of Age-Associated Deficit Accumulation Across 17 Years From Midlife Into Old Age

“…Given potential interrelationships between early-life factors, for example, between size at birth and gestational age, and between maternal BMI and birth weight, models including body size at birth were also adjusted for gestational age and maternal BMI models additionally for birth weight. Interactions between exposure variables and sex on FI were also tested given previously observed sex-depended associations of early-life factors (4,5,(21)(22)(23). We observed a significant sex interaction only in the model of temporary wartime separation as exposure variable, where also the 3-way interaction of sex * age * separation status was added to the model.…”

“…A higher maternal BMI has been associated with poorer offspring physical and mental functioning in the sixth decade of life in men ( 22 ). The U-shaped association between maternal BMI and offspring total physical activity in the sixth decade was observed only among women ( 23 ). However, we observed no sex difference regarding the rate of change in frailty in the present study.…”

“…Reynolds et al observed the odds of offspring death to follow a U-shaped curve, in which the risk of death was higher among mothers with low or high prepregnancy BMI (41). Associations between maternal BMI and performance measures in old age have described sex differences (21)(22)(23). Only the male offspring of undernourished mothers had poorer grip strength and physical performance at the age of 68 years (21).…”

Active Time in Cooperative Activities, Quality of Life and Body Mass Index in Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities. A Model of Structural Equations

“…By and large, it has been found that as they age, subjects' BMIs increase, and this measure is accepted as a tool for diagnosing issues related to obesity, the potential progression of diseases, and health in general [48]. This finding could be due to the changes that take place during adulthood, including changing eating habits-namely an increased intake of saturated fats-as well as the availability of technological resources that lead to a reduction in the practice of physical activities and thus an increase in BMI [49].…”