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Birth weight is related to body fatness in prepubertal Chinese children
Author(s) -
He Qing,
Zhang Xiaojing,
He SuYuan,
Gong LuXia,
Sun YunGao,
Deckelbaum Richard,
Gallagher Dympna
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.5.a856-d
Subject(s) - lean body mass , birth weight , medicine , trunk , obesity , body mass index , demography , obstetrics , body weight , endocrinology , pregnancy , biology , ecology , sociology , genetics
Birth weight, a marker of intrauterine circumstances, is associated with a range of health outcomes in later life. The study aim was to investigate the relationship between birth weight and body composition of healthy prepubertal Chinese children. A convenience sample was recruited from local schools and children of hospital employees in Mainland China (Jinan, Shandong Province) using a cross‐sectional design. 235 prepubertal (Tanner 1: 3–11 years) children (97 girls and 138 boys) were included. Total fatness, trunk fatness, total lean mass, and trunk lean mass were measured by using dual energy‐x‐ray absorptiometry (GE Lunar Prodigy). Birth weight was self‐reported by a parent. All children were healthy at birth with birth weight ranging from 2.2–4.7 kg. The relationship between birth weight and body fat/lean mass was assessed using multiple regression analysis. Age, sex and the interactions among birth weight, sex, and age were tested in the model. Birth weight was positively related to total body fat (p=0.007 with R 2 =0.41) and trunk fat (p=0.01 with R 2 =0.42). No association between birth weight and total lean mass or trunk lean mass (p>0.05) was found in this prepubertal sample. These findings suggest that birth weight may be a potential risk factor for obesity (total fat) and central fatness (trunk fat) later in life. Whether our findings apply to other populations requires further study. This study was supported in part by a grant from Bristol Myers Squibb Mead Johnson Foundation.