Developmental trajectories of Body Mass Index from infancy to 18 years of age: prenatal determinants and health consequences. Issue 10 (3rd June 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ziyab, Ali H; Karmaus, Wilfried; Kurukulaaratchy, Ramesh J; Zhang, Hongmei; Arshad, Syed Hasan
• Is Part Of: Journal of epidemiology and community health. Volume 68:Issue 10(2014)
• Page Start: 934
• Page End: 941
• Publication Date: 2014-06-03
• Subjects: Obesity -- Epidemiology -- Paediatric -- Maternal Health -- Asthma; Public health -- Periodicals; Epidemiology -- Periodicals; 614.4
• DOI: 10.1136/jech-2014-203808
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0143-005X

Abstract

Abstract : Background: Knowledge on the long-term development of adiposity throughout childhood/adolescence and its prenatal determinants and health sequelae is lacking. We sought to (1) identify trajectories of Body Mass Index (BMI) from 1 to 18 years of age, (2) examine associations of maternal gestational smoking and early pregnancy overweight with offspring BMI trajectories and (3) determine whether BMI trajectories predict health outcomes: asthma, lung function parameters (forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1 )/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio), and blood pressure, at 18 years. Methods: The Isle of Wight birth cohort, a population-based sample of 1456 infants born between January 1989 and February 1990, was prospectively assessed at ages 1, 2, 4, 10 and 18 years. Group-based trajectory modelling was applied to test for the presence of latent BMI trajectories. Associations were assessed using log-binomial and linear regression models. Results: Four trajectories of BMI were identified: 'normal', 'early persistent obesity', 'delayed overweight', and 'early transient overweight'. Risk factors for being in the early persistent obesity trajectory included maternal smoking during pregnancy (RR 2.16, 95% CI 1.02 to 4.68) and early pregnancy overweight (3.16, 1.52 to 6.58). When comparing the early persistent obesity to the normal trajectory, a 2.15-fold (1.33 to 3.49) increased risk of asthma, 3.2% (0.4% to 6.0%) deficit in FEV1 /FVC ratio, and elevated systolic 11.3 mm Hg (7.1 to 15.4) and diastolic 12.0 mm Hg (8.9 to 15.1) blood pressure were observed at age 18 years. Conclusions: Maternal prenatal exposures show prolonged effects on offspring's propensity towards overweight-obesity. Distinct morbid BMI trajectories are evident during the first 18 years of life that are associated with higher risk of asthma, reduced FEV1 /FVC ratio, and elevated blood pressure.