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Does birth weight influence physical activity in youth? A combined analysis of four studies using objectively

Charlotte L Ridgway1, Søren Brage, Stephen J Sharp

  • 1MRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Plos One
|January 26, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Birth weight does not appear to significantly impact physical activity or sedentary time in children and adolescents. This large-scale study found no consistent evidence linking birth weight to habitual activity levels or sedentary behavior.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Exercise Physiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Animal models and adult self-reports suggest a link between low birth weight and reduced physical activity.
  • Understanding the biological determinants of physical activity is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if birth weight is a biological determinant of physical activity and sedentary time in children and adolescents.
  • To analyze data from multiple large cohorts to provide robust findings.

Main Methods:

  • Combined analysis of four cohorts (three European, one South American) with 4,170 participants.
  • Objective measurement of physical activity (PA) using accelerometry for at least 3 days/10 hours per day.
  • Standardized data analysis for total physical activity (counts per minute), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and sedentary time.

Main Results:

  • No significant association was found between birth weight and total physical activity (p=0.9) or MVPA (p=0.7) across the combined cohorts.
  • No overall evidence of an association between birth weight and sedentary time (p=0.8) was observed.
  • A single cohort (Pelotas) showed a tentative association between higher birth weight and lower physical activity/higher sedentary time, which was not significant after adjusting for gestational age.

Conclusions:

  • This large combined analysis suggests birth weight is not a significant biological determinant of habitual physical activity or sedentary behavior in children and adolescents.
  • Findings challenge previous suggestions from animal models and adult self-reports.
  • Further research may explore other early-life factors influencing long-term physical activity patterns.

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