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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Cord serum adiponectin is positively related to postnatal body mass index gain
Yuya Nakano1, Kazuo Itabashi, Keiko Nagahara
1Department of Pediatrics, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. nakano-yt@tulip.sannet.ne.jp
Insights
Cord serum adiponectin levels, birthweight, and gestational age predict body mass index (BMI) Z-score gain in infants. Leptin levels did not significantly predict infant BMI Z-score changes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Endocrinology
- Human Growth and Development
Background:
- Adiponectin and leptin roles in early life are unclear.
- Previous research tracked adipocytokine changes from birth to 12 months.
- This study links cord serum adipocytokine levels to growth up to 3 years.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the correlation between cord serum adipocytokine levels and postnatal growth up to age 3.
- To investigate adiponectin and leptin as predictors of infant growth trajectories.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire collected physical measurements of 3-year-olds from 45 infants (born ≥35 weeks gestation).
- Correlations were analyzed between cord serum adipocytokine levels and physical measurements at 3 years.
- Longitudinal BMI Z-score gains were assessed from birth to 3 years.
Main Results:
- BMI Z-score gain (birth to 3 years) correlated positively with cord serum adiponectin (β=0.253, P=0.043).
- BMI Z-score gain was negatively correlated with birthweight SD score (β=-0.395, P=0.019) and gestational age (β=-0.557, P=0.016).
- Cord serum leptin levels did not significantly predict BMI Z-score gain; no significant relation was found between cord adiponectin/leptin and BMI Z-scores at 6 months, 12 months, or 3 years.
Conclusions:
- Birthweight SD score, gestational age, and cord serum adiponectin levels are significant predictors of BMI Z-score gain from birth to 3 years in Japanese infants.
- Adiponectin, but not leptin, in cord serum shows predictive value for infant growth trajectories.
Background:
The roles of adiponectin and leptin in the early stages of life are poorly understood. We previously studied longitudinal changes in these adipocytokines from birth to 12 months of age. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the correlation between cord serum adipocytokine levels and postnatal growth by 3 years of age.
Methods:
A questionnaire was sent to obtain the general physical measurements of 3-year-olds from 56 healthy newborn infants born at a gestational age of 35 weeks or more; 45 valid responses were obtained. The correlations between variables, including cord serum adipocytokine levels at birth and general physical measurements at 3 years, were investigated.
Results:
Body mass index (BMI) Z-score gain from birth to 3 years was negatively correlated with birthweight SD scores (β=-0.395, P= 0.019) and gestational age (β=-0.557, P= 0.016), and positively correlated with cord serum adiponectin levels (β= 0.253, P= 0.043). BMI Z-score gain from birth to 6 months was negatively correlated with only birthweight SD score (β=-0.442, P= 0.017). Cord serum leptin levels were not a significant predictor of BMI Z-scores gain in our subjects. BMI Z-scores at 6 months, 12 months, and 3 years of age were not related to cord serum adiponectin or leptin levels.
Conclusions:
Birthweight SD score, gestational age, and cord serum adiponectin levels are significant predictors of BMI Z-score gain from birth to 3 years of age in Japanese infants.
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