Related Experiment Videos
Growth in childhood and blood pressure in Finnish children
T Forsén1, A Nissinen, J Tuomilehto
1Department of Epidemiology and Health Promotion, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
Insights
Childhood blood pressure (BP) is established by age one. Higher systolic BP (SBP) in children is linked to faster growth during their first year, not fetal growth.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Cardiovascular Health
- Growth and Development
Background:
- Childhood blood pressure (BP) and cholesterol levels are crucial indicators of cardiovascular health.
- Understanding the determinants of BP in early life is essential for long-term health outcomes.
- Fetal and early childhood growth patterns may influence later BP trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To monitor childhood blood pressure (BP) and serum cholesterol.
- To investigate the relationship between fetal and childhood growth and BP.
- To determine when BP levels become established in early childhood.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study of 215 children recruited at birth in Finland.
- Longitudinal measurements of BP, serum cholesterol, and anthropometry until age seven.
- Statistical analysis to correlate growth parameters with BP and cholesterol levels.
Main Results:
- Blood pressure (BP) at 6 months strongly predicted BP at 7 years (systolic BP (SBP) r=0.69, diastolic BP (DBP) r=0.75).
- Weight at 1 year and weight gain during the first year positively correlated with SBP.
- Fetal growth parameters (birth weight, placental weight) were not associated with BP levels.
Conclusions:
- Childhood blood pressure levels are largely determined by one year of age.
- Higher SBP in children is associated with a higher growth rate during the first year of life.
- Early growth, not fetal factors, appears to be a key determinant of childhood BP.
Abstract:
The aims of this prospective cohort study were to monitor childhood blood pressure (BP) and cholesterol and link them to fetal and childhood growth. Of the 215 children recruited after delivery in a rural county of eastern Finland during 1981 and 1982, 180 (83.7%) stayed in the study until the age of seven. The measurements assessed were BP, serum cholesterol and anthropometry. Of the children originally in the highest BP quartile at the age of 6 months, 58% (systolic BP (SBP)) and 68% (diastolic BP (DBP)), respectively, remained in the same quartile until the age of 7 years; 53% (SBP) and 60% (DBP), respectively, remained in the same lowest quartile. Consequently, BP at 6 months correlated strongly with SBP (r=0.69, P < 0.001) and DBP (r=0.75, P < 0.001) at 7 years of age. Birth weight, ponderal index, placental weight and placental to birth weight ratio were not related to BP level during the follow-up. Weight at 1 year of age correlated positively with SBP (r=0.18-0.25, P=0.0008-0.0215) but not with DBP during the follow-up. Weight gain during the first year of life was directly related to subsequent SBP (r=0.11-0.22, P=0.005-0.16). There was an inverse relationship between serum cholesterol at 7 years of age and placental weight (r=-0.16, P=0.048) and placental to birth weight ratio (r=-0.16, P=0.045). The BP level is already determined at 1 year of age and a higher SBP is associated with a higher growth rate during the first year of life.