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Fetal growth and childhood cholesterol levels in the United States
Author(s) -
Ogden Cynthia L.,
Schoendorf Kenneth C.,
Kiely John L.,
Gillman Matthew W.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
paediatric and perinatal epidemiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.667
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3016
pISSN - 0269-5022
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3016.2007.00895.x
Subject(s) - medicine , fetus , fetal growth , obstetrics , pregnancy , genetics , biology
Summary Research has linked fetal environment to subsequent adult disease. This study examines the extent to which infants born small‐for‐gestational age (SGA) were at risk for high cholesterol levels in early childhood (ages 4–6 years). Data were obtained from 1727 children aged 4–6 years who participated in the cross‐sectional third US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and had both birth certificates and blood cholesterol information. The odds of having moderately elevated (170–199 mg/dL) or high (≥200 mg/dL) serum total cholesterol after being born SGA were determined after controlling for sex, race/ethnicity, education of household head, saturated fat intake, parental history of high cholesterol and overweight status. Approximately 11% of participants were SGA. Proportions of children with moderately elevated and high cholesterol levels were approximately 28 and 8%, respectively. SGA children were almost twice as likely (odds ratio 1.97, 95% confidence interval [0.8, 4.8]) to have high cholesterol vs. low cholesterol than non‐SGA children, although the result was not statistically significant. Multiple linear regression demonstrated a similar inverse, non‐significant relationship between gestation‐adjusted birthweight and cholesterol (β = −2.3, P = 0.33). These data indicate a possible association between reduced fetal growth, represented by birthweight adjusted for gestational age, and increased cholesterol levels in early childhood.