title: Maternal and childhood nutrition and later blood pressure levels in young Guatemalan adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low birth weight and subsequent rapid child growth are associated with later blood pressure levels. The role of maternal and child nutrition in this association remains unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 450 men and women (ages 21-29 years) born during a randomized trial of protein-energy supplementation (Atole) vs low energy/no protein supplementation (Fresco) in pregnancy and early childhood in four rural Guatemalan villages from 1969 to 1977.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Protein-energy supplementation was not associated with differences in blood pressure in adulthood (diastolic blood pressure (DBP): beta = 0.69 mm Hg, 95% confidence internal (CI) (20.82-2.19); P = 0.37; systolic blood pressure (SBP): beta = 0.17 mm Hg, 95% CI (21.68-2.02); P = 0.86). Within the Atole group, maternal height was associated with later SBP (0.22 mm Hg/cm, 95% CI (20.002-0.45); P = 0.05). No other associations between maternal nutritional status, birth size, child growth, or supplement intake were observed for adult blood pressure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data do not support the role of maternal nutrition during pregnancy, birth size, or early child growth in programming adult blood pressure. Likewise, we found no effect of protein-energy supplementation in pregnancy or in early childhood on blood pressure in young adults.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Nutrition and Health Sciences, Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: Aimee L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: Andrea J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Conlisk
authors.forename: Huiman X
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Barnhart
authors.forename: Reynaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martorell
authors.forename: Rubén
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grajeda
authors.forename: Aryeh D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Stein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001724:Birth Weight; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006166:Guatemala / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009035:Mothers; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011247:Pregnancy