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Peak growth velocity in infancy is positively associated with blood pressure in school-aged children

Elisabeth Thiering1, Irene Brüske, Jürgen Kratzsch

  • 1Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Center for Environment and Health, Institute of Epidemiology I, Neuherberg, Germany.

Journal of Hypertension
|May 11, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Rapid early life growth, specifically peak height and weight velocity, is linked to higher blood pressure in children. This association persists regardless of later weight status, highlighting the importance of infant growth patterns.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Growth and Development
  • Cardiovascular Health

Background:

  • Early life rapid growth velocity is a potential risk factor for childhood obesity, hypertension, and metabolic dysfunction.
  • Previous research on this association has yielded inconsistent results.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the association between peak growth velocity in the first two years of life and blood pressure, fasting glucose, and insulin levels at 10 years of age.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from a prospective German birth cohort (LISAplus) of 1127 children.
  • Modeled growth using nonlinear mixed-effect Reed1 models and analyzed associations with metabolic outcomes via linear regression.
  • Adjusted for potential confounders including birth weight and body mass index.

Main Results:

  • Higher peak height velocity (PHV) and peak weight velocity (PWV) in infancy were significantly associated with increased systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at age 10.
  • Each 2 SD increase in PHV correlated with a 2.94 mmHg rise in SBP; a 2 SD increase in PWV correlated with a 2.13 mmHg rise in SBP and 1.91 mmHg rise in DBP.
  • No consistent associations were found between PHV or PWV and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) after multiple adjustments.

Conclusions:

  • Early life growth patterns, particularly peak growth velocities, are associated with blood pressure outcomes in school-aged children.
  • These associations appear independent of relative weight status during school age.
Abstract

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