Pulse Wave Velocity at Early Adulthood: Breastfeeding and Nutrition during Pregnancy and Childhood

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Pediatric Nutrition
• Public Health

Background:

• Arterial stiffness, indicated by pulse wave velocity (PWV), is an early predictor of cardiovascular disease.
• Factors like birth weight, infant feeding, and childhood nutrition are linked to adult cardiovascular outcomes.
• The 1982 Pelotas birth cohort provides a valuable dataset for long-term health research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between birth condition and childhood nutrition with pulse wave velocity (PWV) at 30 years of age.
• To determine if early life factors predict arterial stiffness in adulthood.
• To identify nutritional factors in childhood that may influence long-term cardiovascular health.

Main Methods:

• Prospective follow-up of the 1982 Pelotas birth cohort, initiated in Pelotas, Brazil.
• Assessment of pulse wave velocity (PWV) in 1576 participants at 30 years of age.
• Analysis of associations between PWV and birth characteristics, infant feeding, and childhood nutritional status.

Main Results:

• Positive association found between relative weight gain from 2 to 4 years and PWV at age 30.
• Higher PWV observed in children with a weight-for-age z-score above 1 standard deviation at 4 years.
• No significant association detected between PWV and height gain, birthweight, or breastfeeding duration.

Conclusions:

• Relative weight gain after age two is associated with increased arterial stiffness (PWV).
• Birth weight and early childhood growth (first two years) were not associated with PWV at age 30.
• Increased weight gain later in childhood may indicate higher future cardiovascular risk.