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Abdominal fat and birth size in healthy prepubertal children

S P Garnett1, C T Cowell, L A Baur

  • 1The Robert Vines Growth Centre, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. sarahg@chw.edu.au

International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders : Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity
|December 26, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Lower birth weight, followed by weight gain in childhood, is linked to increased abdominal fat and higher risk of heart disease in children. This highlights the importance of monitoring growth from birth.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors
  • Growth and Development

Background:

  • The fetal origins hypothesis suggests early life factors influence adult disease risk.
  • Birth size may be a marker for adaptations programming future health.
  • Childhood fat distribution could mediate the link between birth size and adult disease.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between birth size and abdominal fat in children.
  • To examine associations with blood pressure, lipids, and insulin levels.
  • To explore potential links to future cardiovascular risk.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of a birth cohort.
  • Inclusion of 255 healthy 7- and 8-year-old children.
  • Measurements included dual energy X-ray absorptiometry for body composition, blood tests for metabolic profiles, and automated blood pressure monitoring.

Main Results:

  • A negative association was found between abdominal fat and birth weight standard deviation score.
  • Children with lower birth weight and higher weight gain showed significantly more abdominal fat.
  • Increased abdominal fat correlated with higher cholesterol, triglycerides, and diastolic blood pressure.

Conclusions:

  • Birth weight independently predicts childhood abdominal fat accumulation.
  • Children with higher abdominal fat tended to be lighter at birth and gain weight rapidly.
  • Elevated abdominal fat is associated with precursor risk factors for ischemic heart disease.
Abstract

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