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The effects of birth weight and postnatal linear growth retardation on body mass index, fatness and fat distribution in mid and late childhood

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2007

Susan P Walker ,
Pamela S Gaskin ,
Christine A Powell  and
Franklyn I Bennett
Susan P Walker*
Affiliation:
Epidemiology Research Unit, Tropical Medicine Research Institute, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica
Pamela S Gaskin
Affiliation:
Epidemiology Research Unit, Tropical Medicine Research Institute, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica
Christine A Powell
Affiliation:
Epidemiology Research Unit, Tropical Medicine Research Institute, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica
Franklyn I Bennett
Affiliation:
Tropical Metabolism Research Unit, Tropical Medicine Research Institute, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica
*
*Corresponding author: Email swalker@uwimona.edu.jm
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Abstract

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Objective:

To determine the effects of birth weight and early childhood stunting on body mass index (BMI), body fat and fat distribution at ages 7 and 11 years, and the change from 7 to 11 years.

Design:

Prospective cohort study.

Setting:

Kingston, Jamaica.

Subjects:

One hundred and sixteen stunted children (height-for-age below two standard deviations (<-2SD) of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) references) and 190 non-stunted children (height-for-age > -1SD), identified at age 9–24 months. The stunted group was divided into a previously stunted group (height-for-age at 11 years ≥ -1SD) and a chronically stunted group (height-for-age <-1SD).

Results:

Birth weight was positively related to the children's BMI but not to measures of body fat. Birth weight was negatively associated with the subscapular/triceps skinfold (SSF/TSF) ratio at age 11 years, and to the change between 7 and 11 years. Controlling for birth weight, the chronically stunted group remained significantly smaller than the non-stunted children at both ages and increased less from 7 to 11 years in all measures except the SSF/TSF ratio, which was significantly greater at age 7 years. The previously stunted group had significantly lower BMI and percentage body fat at age 7 years than the non-stunted group. Change from 7 to 11 years was not significantly different from that of the non-stunted group except for a smaller increase in TSF. At age 11 years they had significantly lower TSF and percentage body fat1.

Conclusions:

Children stunted in early childhood had less fat and lower BMI than non-stunted children but had a more central fat distribution that was partially explained by their lower birth weights. The association between birth weight and central fat distribution developed between 7 and 11 years.

Keywords

Linear growth retardationBirth weightBody mass indexFat distributionSkinfolds
Type
Research Article
Information
Public Health Nutrition , Volume 5 , Issue 3 , June 2002 , pp. 391 - 396
Copyright
Copyright © CABI Publishing 2002

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