Newborn adiposity by body mass index predicts childhood overweight.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association between adiposity at birth and in infancy with overweight at age 5 years. This study hypothesizes that adiposity at birth as approximated by body mass index (BMI) predicts childhood fatness.


METHODS
Anthropomorphic data from birth to 5 years were used to calculate BMI percentiles. Multiple logistic regression assessed the association between BMI percentile > or =85% at 2 weeks and BMI percentile > or =85% at 6, 12, 36, and 60 months.


RESULTS
Elevated BMI at age 2 weeks > or =85th percentile was associated with significant increases in risk of overweight at 6, 12, 36, and 60 months of age. Infants with a BMI at age 2 weeks > or =85th percentile had an adjusted odds ratio of 3.42 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.79, 6.50) and an adjusted risk ratio of 2.12 (95% CI = 1.71, 2.61) of being overweight at 60 months of age.


CONCLUSIONS
Adiposity at birth as approximated by BMI is a significant predictor of overweight at 5 years.
Shenandoah Valley Family Practice Residency, 140 West 11th Street, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA. johnwinter50@hotmail.com
Jonathan David
JD
Winter
Patricia
P
Langenberg
Scott D
SD
Krugman
D050154:Adiposity; D001724:Birth Weight; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States