Fetal growth and childhood cholesterol levels in the United States.
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 (> or =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 (beta = -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.
Ogden
Cynthia L
CL
National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, MD 20782, USA. cogden@cdc.gov
Schoendorf
Kenneth C
KC
Kiely
John L
JL
Gillman
Matthew W
MW
D001724:Birth Weight; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D002784:Cholesterol