Newborn body composition and child cardiovascular risk markers: a prospective multi-ethnic Asian cohort study
Year: 2022
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Early epidemiological studies have associated low birthweight with increased cardiovascular risk. We aimed to examine whether the fat and fat-free components of birthweight have differing relationships with childhood cardiovascular risk markers. METHODS: In the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) cohort, air displacement plethysmography was conducted within 24 h after delivery in 290 naturally conceived singletons. We investigated associations of newborn cohort-specific standardized z-score of fat mass, fat-free mass, body fat percentage and birthweight on child (at 6 years of age) carotid intima-media thickness, pulse wave velocity, blood pressure, prehypertension/hypertension (>110/70 mmHg) and standardized systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) trajectories (at 3-6 years of age), taking account of maternal education, height, tobacco exposure, parity, ethnicity, child's sex, gestational age, age at follow-up, and other maternal factors. RESULTS: Clear inverse associations were seen for blood pressure with z-score of fat mass [SBP, β (95% CI): -1.31 mmHg (-2.57, -0.06); DBP: -0.79 mmHg (-1.74, 0.15)] and body fat percentage [SBP: -1.46 mmHg (-2.73, -0.19); DBP: -0.80 mmHg (-1.75, 0.16)], but not with fat-free mass [SBP: 0.27 mmHg (-1.29, 1.83)]; DBP: -0.14 mmHg (-1.30, 1.03)]. Being in the lowest tertile of fat mass or body fat percentage was associated with higher blood pressure trajectories and prehypertension/hypertension risk [OR (95% CI), fat mass: 4.23 (1.41, 12.68); body fat percentage: 3.22 (1.09, 9.53)] without concomitantly higher overweight/obesity risk. CONCLUSIONS: At birth, low adiposity was associated with increased childhood blood pressure. Low newborn adiposity might serve as a marker of poor fetal growth or suboptimal intrauterine conditions associated with hypertension risk later in life.
DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyac154
Authors: Yi Ying Ong, Mya-Thway Tint, Izzuddin M Aris, Wen Lun Yuan, Ling-Wei Chen, Marielle V Fortier, Jonathan Choo, Lieng Hsi Ling, Lynette Shek, Kok Hian Tan, Peter D Gluckman, Fabian Yap, Yap-Seng Chong, Keith M Godfrey, Mary F-F Chong, Shiao-Yng Chan, Johan G Eriksson, Mary E Wlodek, Emanuella De Lucia Rolfe, Ken K Ong, Navin Michael, Yung Seng Lee
Institutions: National University of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Harvard University, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, National Taiwan University, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, National University Heart Centre Singapore, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Duke-NUS Medical School, University of Auckland, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, University of Helsinki, Folkhälsans Forskningscentrum, University of Cambridge, Medical Research Council
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Funders: National Institute for Health and Care Research, British Heart Foundation, European Commission, National Research Foundation, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, National Research Foundation Singapore, National University Health System, National Institute for Health Research Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, Medical Research Council, National Medical Research Council
Awards: G1917706474, G1956390128, G2693923786, G2780654756, G3424013768, NIHR Senior Investigator Award, G3873828540, G389277099, G427574963, NIHR Senior Investigator Award, G524590474, Epigenetic biomarkers and determinants of cardiovascular risk in children, G5755632036, G606602278, G6206044308, G7388601084, G8346907872, Nutrition, Development and Lifelong Health: Studies in European Populations, G953086832
OpenAlex ID: W4288801747