Prenatal and birth predictors of objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time in three population-based birth cohorts in Brazil

Abstract

physical inactivity is a global pandemic with no signs of improvement. prolonged sitting time is an emerging risk factor that exacerbates the health consequences of physical inactivity. Both behaviours are influenced by various individual and environmental factors but it remains unknown whether early-life exposures "program" these behaviours in later life. the current evidence is limited by a small number of studies which were primarily conducted in high-income countries, and a narrow range of early-life variables examined. Using data from three population-based Brazilian birth cohorts (analytical samples: n = 2740 for 1982 cohort, aged 30 years; n = 3592 for 1993 cohort, aged 18; n = 2603 for 2004 cohort, aged 6), we show that being female and higher family socioeconomic status at birth are strong and consistent predictors of lower physical activity and higher sedentary time from childhood to adulthood. Meanwhile, higher birth weight and lower birth order may also predict lower physical activity and higher sedentary time. Our findings are distinct from evidence from high-income countries, suggesting the importance of broader socioeconomic context in determining individual's activity patterns through the life-course. Such evidence is essential for understanding the biological etiology and socioeconomic context of physical activity and sedentary behaviour at an early stage in life.Physical inactivity is responsible for chronic diseases, premature mortality 1 and substantial economic burdens 2 . With one in three adults and four in five adolescents worldwide failing to achieve the recommended levels of physical activity 3 and no signs of improvement at the population level 4 , the pandemic of physical inactivity is one of the biggest challenges to global health. Sedentary behaviour, on the other hand, is a distinct class of waking behavior in a sitting, reclining, or lying posture with an energy expenditure ≤1.5 Metabolic Equivalents 5 . Increasing evidence suggests that prolonged sedentary time may elevate the risk of chronic diseases and mortality in adults and the combination of prolonged sitting time and low levels of physical activity may be particularly detrimental to health 6 .Understanding the causes of physical inactivity and prolonged sedentary time is essential for developing interventions to improve public health. Hence, many studies have been conducted to understand why some people are more active than others. It is generally understood that physical activity and sedentary behaviour are jointly influenced by a range of individual, interpersonal, environmental and policy factors across different stages in life 7,8 . However, one consistently understudied area is whether and how prenatal, birth and early life factors influence open Scientific RepoRtS | (2020) 10:786 | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-57070-xwww.nature.com/scientificreports www.nature.com/scientificreports/ these behaviours 9,10 . The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Theory, based on Barker's hypothesis 11 , emphasises the im...

Prenatal and postnatal correlates of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in midlife: evidence from the 1970 British Cohort Study

“…Associations were not explained by adjustment for other early life factors. These novel findings build on existing evidence demonstrating that early life factors influence physical activity behaviours in childhood, adolescence and early adulthood, [13][14][15][16] by showing associations remain in midlife.…”

“…We identified a weak linear association between high birth weight and low MVPA, which has been previously reported in meta-analyses and cross-cohort studies 14 15 alongside inverse U-shaped 13 16 and null associations. 17 Ding et al 14 reported no association between gestational age and MVPA at ages 6, 18 or 30, whereas Tikanmäki et al 15 reported that those born preterm or post-term had lower levels of leisure-time physical activity at age 16 than regular term births. Here, we present the novel finding that post-term boys have lower levels of physical activity in midlife, with no association in girls.…”

“…Specifically, older maternal age is a major determinant of greater health literacy, which can directly shape health behaviours in children, 30 while higher SEP at birth is linked to better nutrition and higher physical activity in childhood, adolescence and adulthood. 31 Considered alongside previous evidence reporting associations between early life factors and physical activity levels in childhood and early adulthood, [13][14][15][16] it is likely that early life factors contribute to activity habits at earlier ages which are then sustained into midlife and later life. Further consideration of how associations change across time is needed.…”

“…The contradictory nature of this evidence extends to other factors such as socioeconomic position (SEP) 14 18 19 and gestational age. 14 15 20 While differences may partially be explained by country-level socioeconomic factors, the existing evidence has many limitations. Studies have focused nearly entirely on birth weight or SEP, 13 16–20 with little consideration of other perinatal aspects related to infant health or maternal characteristics.…”

“…Studies investigating perinatal factors in relation to subsequent physical activity are sparse, with contradictory findings. For example, meta-analyses and multicohort analyses have reported positive,13 negative,14 15 U-shaped16 and null17 associations between birth weight and subsequent physical activity levels. The contradictory nature of this evidence extends to other factors such as socioeconomic position (SEP)14 18 19 and gestational age 14 15 20.…”