Which infancy growth parameters are associated with later adiposity? The Cambridge Baby Growth Study

Abstract

Background: Highly consistent positive associations are reported between infancy growth and later obesity risk. However, it is unclear whether infancy growth parameters beyond body weight add to the prediction of later obesity risk. Aim: To assess whether infancy length and skinfold thicknesses add to infancy weight in the prediction of childhood adiposity. Subjects and methods: This analysis included 254 children with available data on infant growth from birth to 24 months and childhood adiposity at age 6-11 years measured by DXA. Multilevel linear regression was used to examine the predictors of childhood percent body fat (%BF), with adjustment for sex and age at follow-up visit. Results: Birth weight and weight gain (modelled as changes in z-score) between 0-3 months and 3-24 months showed independent positive relationships with childhood %BF. The addition of gains in infant length and skinfolds between 0-3 months, but not 3-24 months, improved overall model prediction, from 18.7% to 20.7% of the variance in childhood %BF (likelihood ratio test, p < 0.0001), although their independent effect estimates were small (infant length gain: negative trend, partial R-square 0.6%, p ¼ 0.2; skinfolds: positive trend, 1.3%, p ¼ 0.09). Conclusion: Infancy length and skinfolds contribute significantly, but only modestly, to the prediction of childhood adiposity.

The Effect of Growth Rate during Infancy on the Risk of Developing Obesity in Childhood: A Systematic Literature Review

“…Following this, 42 studies were further excluded due to not meeting the criteria, with exact reasons outlined in the flow diagram ( Figure 1 ). The final number of studies to be included in the review was 24, comprising of 15 prospective cohort studies [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ], 6 retrospective cohort studies [ 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ], and 3 longitudinal cohort studies [ 34 , 35 , 36 ]. These 24 studies have been presented in Table 2 .…”

“…The population groups among all the studies ranged from 2 to 12 years of age, including both boys and girls. Thirteen studies had population groups that had an age range with a minimum one year and maximum six-year range [ 13 , 17 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 36 ]. The remainder of the studies presented their sample populations with one age, such as an example of seven years old.…”

“…When combining all the ages studied, approximately 60% was within the range of 6 and 10 years. Only three studies had population groups that included 2 years of age [ 25 , 26 , 32 ], while only another four studies included the ages of 11 and 12 years [ 13 , 19 , 24 , 34 ].…”

“…Within these outcomes there were subcategories and measures. Fourteen studies explored the primary outcomes [ 13 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 22 , 23 , 26 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 34 , 35 , 36 ], three studies explored the secondary outcomes [ 14 , 25 , 27 ], and seven studies explored both the primary and secondary outcomes [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 21 , 24 , 28 , 33 ]. Outcome measures included odds ratios, incidence rate ratios, beta coefficients, means and correlation coefficients.…”

Extensive Study of Breast Milk and Infant Growth: Protocol of the Cambridge Baby Growth and Breastfeeding Study (CBGS-BF)

“…The study visits were conducted twice during pregnancy and four times postnatally at 3, 12, 18, and 24 months. The original CBGS has provided valuable insights into the maternal-foetal communication and pregnancy comorbidities [ 2 , 3 ], infant growth and nutrition [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ] and its association to later childhood outcomes [ 8 ], as well as growth and adiposity development of infants at risk [ 9 ].…”