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Updated: Jun 2, 2026
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Birth weight, postnatal weight change, and risk for high blood pressure among chinese children
Katherine Bowers1, Gongshu Liu, Ping Wang
1Division of Epidemiology, Statistics, and Prevention Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20852, USA.
Insights
Higher birth weight and rapid postnatal weight gain in children are linked to an increased risk of developing hypertension. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring growth from gestation through childhood for long-term health.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Cardiovascular Epidemiology
- Growth and Development
Background:
- Hypertension predisposition may stem from intrauterine growth patterns and postnatal weight gain.
- Previous research predominantly focused on Western populations, necessitating studies in developing regions with rising metabolic disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between birth weight, postnatal weight gain, and hypertension in Chinese children.
- To assess the impact of early life growth trajectories on the development of childhood hypertension.
Main Methods:
- A population-based study involving 15,600 children aged 3-6 years in Tianjin, China.
- Weight z scores were used to define birth weight and postnatal weight gain (changes from birth to ages 3-6 years).
- Hypertension was defined as blood pressure above the 90th percentile; logistic regression analyzed associations with risk.
Main Results:
- A positive association was observed between higher birth weight and childhood hypertension in both boys and girls.
- Postnatal weight gain demonstrated a positive association with hypertension risk, irrespective of birth size for gestational age.
Conclusions:
- Increased birth weight and accelerated postnatal weight gain are associated with a higher risk of childhood hypertension.
- Intrauterine growth and postnatal weight gain trajectories appear to significantly influence health outcomes during childhood, specifically hypertension risk.
Background:
It is hypothesized that a physiological predisposition toward hypertension results from a combination of intrauterine growth restriction or overgrowth and excessive postnatal weight gain. Previous studies were conducted largely in Western countries however the hypothesis may also be relevant in developing countries where metabolic disorders are increasing.
Objective:
We investigated the association of birth weight and postnatal weight gain with hypertension among Chinese children.
Methods:
A population based study was conducted among 15 600 children aged 3 to 6 years from Tianjin, China. Weight was expressed as z scores. Postnatal weight gain was defined as changes in z scores from birth to 3 to younger than 4 years, 4 to younger than 5 years, and 5 to 6 years. Hypertension was defined as greater than the 90th percentile of either systolic or diastolic blood pressure. Logistic regression-derived odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were generated to estimate the association between birth weight and postnatal weight gain with hypertension risk in childhood.
Results:
Birth weight was positively associated with childhood hypertension in boys and girls (odds ratios [95% confidence interval] comparing extreme quartiles [high versus low] were 5.67 [3.83-8.39] and 2.58 [3.83-8.39], respectively). Postnatal weight gain was positively associated with hypertension and the association did not significantly vary by birth size for gestational age.
Conclusions:
Greater birth weight or postnatal weight gain was associated with increased childhood hypertension risk, suggesting that intrauterine growth and postnatal weight gain may have implications on health during childhood.
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