Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 17, 2025

Hemodynamic Precision in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit using Targeted Neonatal Echocardiography
09:31

Hemodynamic Precision in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit using Targeted Neonatal Echocardiography

Published on: January 27, 2023

1.1K

Growth patterns in early childhood and cardiovascular structure and function at 4 years old: A prospective cohort

Jian Wang1, Yujian Wu1, Bowen Du1

  • 1Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Xinhua Hospital, 1655 Kongjiang Rd, 200092 Shanghai, China.

Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases : NMCD
|October 9, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Dynamic body mass index (BMI) changes in childhood predict cardiovascular issues by age 4. Overweight and catch-up growth patterns are linked to higher blood pressure and altered heart structure, highlighting the need for early intervention.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Cardiovascular Health

Background:

  • Childhood overweight and obesity are established risk factors for adult cardiovascular disease.
  • The impact of dynamic body mass index (BMI) changes on early childhood cardiovascular structure and function is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between distinct BMI growth patterns in early childhood and subsequent cardiovascular structure and function at age 4.
  • To determine if dynamic BMI changes are more predictive of cardiovascular outcomes than static BMI measurements.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort study of 525 children with BMI measurements at birth, 2, and 4 years.
  • Cardiovascular assessments included blood pressure, cardiac geometry, left ventricular (LV) function, speckle-tracking, integrated backscatter, and carotid intima-media thickness.
  • Six distinct BMI growth patterns were identified and analyzed for associations with cardiovascular parameters.

Main Results:

  • Stable overweight (OW) BMI patterns were associated with significantly greater LV anatomic parameters.
  • Catch-up (CU) BMI patterns were linked to poorer cardiac strain and higher systolic blood pressure (OW: OR 3.67, CU: OR 4.24).
  • Dynamic BMI growth patterns were more predictive of cardiovascular structure and function at age 4 compared to static BMI measurements.

Conclusions:

  • Overweight-related BMI growth patterns in early childhood lead to adverse cardiovascular changes by age 4.
  • These findings underscore the importance of early detection and intervention for children exhibiting concerning BMI trajectories.
  • Dynamic BMI monitoring offers a valuable tool for predicting and potentially mitigating cardiovascular risks in young children.
Abstract

Keywords:
Body mass indexCardiovascular healthDynamic growth patternEarly childhoodOverweight

More Related Videos

Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System ANS Activity in Children09:45

Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System ANS Activity in Children

Published on: April 29, 2013

21.1K
Author Spotlight: Effect of Left Atrial Ligation on Avian Embryonic Hearts and HLHS Implications04:37

Author Spotlight: Effect of Left Atrial Ligation on Avian Embryonic Hearts and HLHS Implications

Published on: June 16, 2023

1.3K

Related Concept Videos

Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System I: Cardiac Biomarkers01:20

Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System I: Cardiac Biomarkers

Cardiac biomarkers are enzymes, proteins, and hormones released into the blood when cardiac cells are injured. They are powerful tools for triaging.
The essential diagnostic tools for detecting myocardial necrosis and monitoring individuals suspected of having acute coronary syndrome (ACS) include:
Troponins
Troponins, particularly cardiac troponins I and T, are the most precise and sensitive markers of myocardial injury. They are detectable within 4-6 hours of myocardial injury and remain...
413
Development of Blood Vessels01:07

Development of Blood Vessels

The development of the vascular system in a fetus is a complex and intricate process that begins as early as 15 to 16 days post-conception. This process starts outside the embryo, specifically in the mesoderm of the yolk sac, chorion, and connecting stalk. Approximately two days later, the formation of blood vessels occurs within the embryo itself.
The initial formation of this system is facilitated by the small amount of yolk present in the ovum and yolk sac. Blood vessels originate from...
917
Development of the Heart01:27

Development of the Heart

The development of the human heart, a crucial organ, commences from the mesoderm on the 18th or 19th day after fertilization. This process initiates in the cardiogenic area, a group of mesodermal cells at the embryo's head end, which evolves into elongated strands known as cardiogenic cords. These cords undergo a transformation to form hollow-centered endocardial tubes.
As the embryo undergoes lateral folding, these paired tubes approach each other, merging into a single primitive heart...
1.4K
Assessment of the Cardiovascular System IV: Auscultation01:25

Assessment of the Cardiovascular System IV: Auscultation

Cardiac auscultation is a clinical skill used to assess heart function and detect abnormalities. It involves listening to heart sounds at specific anatomical locations through a stethoscope.
Normal Heart Sounds
S1 (First Heart Sound)-
S1 is made by the closure of the mitral and tricuspid valves (atrioventricular valves), marking the beginning of systole.
S2 (Second Heart Sound)-
S2 is made by the closure of the aortic and pulmonic valves (semilunar valves), marking the end of the systole.
889
Longitudinal Research02:20

Longitudinal Research

Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals repeatedly over an extended period of time, we are conducting longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time. For example, we may survey a group of individuals about their dietary habits at age 20, retest them a decade later at age 30, and then again...
12.7K
Longitudinal Studies01:26

Longitudinal Studies

Longitudinal studies are also widely used in other medical and social science fields. For instance, in cardiovascular research, they can monitor patients' health over decades to identify risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol or smoking, and evaluate the long-term effectiveness of preventive measures. Similarly, in mental health studies, researchers might follow individuals from adolescence into adulthood to understand the development and progression of conditions like...
285