Tracking of serum total cholesterol during childhood: an 8‐year follow‐up population‐based family study in eastern Finland

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the tracking of serum total cholesterol (TC) during childhood. Methods: All children born during 1981–1982 in a rural community of eastern Finland were followed at 6 mo, 7 y and 15 y of age. The full follow‐up period was completed by 138 out of 205 children, of whom 82 (33 girls) had TC measured at 7 y and 15 y of age (–7 y, –15 y). The main outcome measurement was TC (mmol/L). Results: TC‐7 y was significantly associated with TC‐15 y (r= 0.655; p‐value <0.001). This correlation did not change significantly after accounting for confounders. Children in the highest tertile of TC‐7y had a significantly higher risk of being in the highest tertile of TC‐15y compared with children in other tertiles of TC‐7 y (relative risk = 6.4 (2.9–13.9)). TC‐15 y was predicted positively by TC‐7 y (linear regression beta = 0.63; p‐value <0.001) and parental high TC (TC ≥5.0 mmol/L in at least one parent) (beta = 0.58; p‐ value = 0.030). Birthweight had no significant association with TC during childhood. Conclusion: The study confirmed the tracking of TC during childhood. The identification of children at risk of developing high TC during adolescence should take into consideration the child's previous TC values during childhood and parental TC status.

High tracking of apolipoprotein B levels from the prepubertal age to adolescence in Spanish children

“…When analysing the tracking of the lipid variables from the baseline (6-8 years) to the follow-up (13-16 years), the correlations we observed were similar to other studies including groups of white children of similar age (7,(21)(22)(23). Tracking in our study is somewhat better for TC, LDLcholesterol and apo B in boys and for TG, HDL-cholesterol and apo A-I in girls.…”

Relationship between copper and lipids and atherogenic indices soon after birth in Japanese preterm infants of 32–35 weeks

“…In the fetus, the major plasma lipoprotein is high-density lipoprotein (HDL), whereas in an adult, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the major component. 4,5 Serum lipoprotein profiles in childhood are predictive of those in adulthood, 6,7 and evidence suggests that this association with adult levels might originate at birth. 8,9 Several lipoprotein ratios or 'atherogenic indices' have been defined in an attempt to optimize the predictive capacity of the lipid profile.…”

Twenty‐year dynamics in adiposity and blood lipids of Greek children: Regional differences in Crete persist

“…An adverse cardiovascular disease risk profile is commonly observed among overweight and obese children and adolescents; this usually tracks into adulthood, hence predicting increased adult cardiovascular morbidity and mortality 2. Among the various cardiovascular risk factors associated with childhood obesity, dyslipidemia is probably the most common 3, and significant tracking of blood lipids from childhood to adulthood has been documented across several populations 4.…”