Childhood body mass index trajectories predicting cardiovascular risk in adolescence

Area of Science:

• Pediatric growth and development
• Cardiovascular disease risk factors
• Childhood obesity

Background:

• Childhood body mass index (BMI) trajectories vary between genders.
• Early life growth patterns may influence later cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.
• Adiposity rebound (AR) is a critical period in BMI development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare BMI growth parameters between girls and boys from infancy to middle childhood.
• To assess if these growth parameters predict adolescent CVD risk.
• To control for adiposity rebound characteristics in the prediction models.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 657 children in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development.
• Employed quadratic growth curve analyses to define BMI trajectory parameters (intercept, slope, quadratic term).
• Evaluated parameters as predictors of a CVD risk index at age 15, adjusting for AR timing and BMI at AR.

Main Results:

• Boys exhibited more extreme BMI trajectories than girls, with higher initial BMI, faster pre-AR declines, and sharper post-AR rebound.
• For both genders, higher intercept, slope, and quadratic term values were associated with increased CVD risk at age 15.
• These associations remained significant after controlling for AR characteristics.

Conclusions:

• Elevated BMI at 15 months and slow BMI declines before AR may identify children at risk for future CVD.
• Early identification through consistent BMI monitoring is crucial for timely intervention.
• Intervening early can positively impact lifelong health trajectories.