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Cord blood leptin levels in relation to child growth trajectories

Polyxeni Karakosta1, Theano Roumeliotaki2, Georgia Chalkiadaki2

  • 1Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece; Department of Experimental Endocrinology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.

Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental
|May 14, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Cord blood leptin may influence childhood obesity development. Higher cord leptin levels are linked to lower childhood weight, especially in infants with specific growth patterns.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Developmental Programming
  • Obesity Research

Background:

  • Leptin, a hormone regulating appetite and metabolism, is implicated in developmental programming.
  • Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern with complex origins.
  • Understanding early life factors like cord blood leptin is crucial for prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between cord blood leptin levels and growth trajectories from birth to early childhood.
  • To determine if cord blood leptin influences the risk of childhood obesity.
  • To explore potential effect modification by intrauterine and early infancy growth patterns.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective cohort study (Rhea cohort, Crete, Greece) with 578 children followed to age 4.
  • Measurement of cord blood leptin and anthropometric/biometric data in early childhood.
  • Analysis using random-effects linear-spline and multivariable regression models.

Main Results:

  • Higher cord blood leptin was associated with lower weight, height, and BMI from 6 months to age 4.
  • Each SD increase in cord leptin correlated with a 242g lower weight at age 4.
  • This association was reversed in infants born small for gestational age or exhibiting rapid early growth.

Conclusions:

  • In utero leptin exposure has long-term programming effects extending into early childhood.
  • Early growth patterns may modify the impact of cord blood leptin on child development.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate these complex interactions.
Abstract

Keywords:
Birth cohortChildhoodCord bloodGrowthLeptin

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