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Long‐term effects of rapid weight gain in children, adolescents and young adults with appropriate birth weight for gestational age: the kiel obesity prevention study
Author(s) -
Hitze B,
BosyWestphal A,
PlachtaDanielzik S,
Bielfeldt F,
Hermanussen M,
Müller MJ
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2009.01573.x
Subject(s) - medicine , overweight , weight gain , obesity , birth weight , waist , body mass index , adiponectin , percentile , pediatrics , demography , endocrinology , pregnancy , body weight , insulin resistance , statistics , mathematics , sociology , biology , genetics
Aim: This study investigates the effect of rapid weight gain in term children, adolescents and young adults born appropriate for gestational age. Methods: In all, 173 girls and 178 boys aged 6.1–19.9 (12.5 ± 3.1)years participated. Rapid weight gain (group 1) was defined as a change in weight‐SDS (standard deviation score) from birth till two years >0.67, ‘no change’ as ≥−0.67 and ≤0.67 (group 2) vs ‘slow weight gain’ as <−0.67 (group 3). BMI‐SDS, waist circumference (WC) z‐score, fat mass (FM)/fat free mass (FFM; Air‐Displacement‐Plethysmography), resting energy expenditure (REE; ventilated hood system), cardio‐metabolic risk factors, serum leptin and adiponectin were assessed. >90th age‐/sex‐specific BMI‐percentile was defined as overweight. Parental BMI, socio‐economic status and lifestyle were assessed as confounders. Results: A total of 22.8% gained weight rapidly, and 15.7% was overweight. Group 1 compared with group 2 and 3 subjects was taller, heavier and had a higher prevalence of overweight (girls/boys: 26.2%/28.9% vs 11.6%/19.0% vs 2.8%/5.0%; p < 0.01/p < 0.05). Concomitantly, a higher WC, %FM and FFM were observed. Rapid weight gain was positively associated with REE (adjusted for FFM) in boys (r = 0.26; p < 0.01), but not with cardio‐metabolic risk factors. Conclusion: Rapid weight gain was related to increases in height, weight, a higher prevalence of overweight and central fat distribution. In addition, rapid weight gain was related to a higher REE in boys, but not to cardio‐metabolic risk factors.