title: The associations between height components (leg and trunk length) and adult levels of liver enzymes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the separate associations of leg length, a biomarker of prepubertal exposures and growth, and trunk length with adult levels of liver enzymes: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the British Women's Health and Heart Study, a random sample of British women aged 60-79 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Leg length was inversely associated with age-adjusted levels of ALT, GGT and ALP. These associations remained when controlling for childhood and adulthood social class, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, waist-to-hip ratio and trunk length. Trunk length was positively associated with ALT and inversely associated with ALP and the associations remained when adjusting for covariables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adult liver function is affected by early life environmental exposures as reflected in leg length, and this may suggest common childhood influences on liver development and adult risk of diabetes and coronary heart disease. Further studies with detailed measures of early life exposures relevant to leg length would be valuable in identifying any specific exposures contributing to adult liver function and cardiovascular disease.
authors: Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, Bristol, UK. Abigail.fraser@bristol.ac.uk
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Fraser
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Ebrahim
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Davey Smith
authors: D A
authors: DA
authors: Lawlor
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001824:Body Constitution / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D012923:Social Class; D014166:Transferases / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014166:Transferases; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase