Determinants of early ponderal and statural growth in full-term infants in the EDEN mother-child cohort study.
BACKGROUND
Growth velocity in the first months of postnatal life has been associated with later overweight and obesity.


OBJECTIVE
We analyzed prenatal and postnatal factors in association with weight, length, and growth velocities in the first 3 mo of life.


METHODS
We estimated weight, length, and instantaneous weight- and length-growth velocities (in g/d and mm/d) in 1418 term infants at 1 and 3 mo of age and evaluated the following potential determinants: maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI), 1-h plasma glucose concentrations during pregnancy, smoking, socioeconomic status, parity, paternal BMI, parental heights, and infant feeding, gestational age, and sex.


RESULTS
Maternal obesity and plasma glucose concentrations were associated with the weights and lengths of offspring at birth but not at 1 and 3 mo after birth. In contrast, there was no association between paternal BMI and anthropometric measures of offspring at birth, but by 3 mo of age infants of obese fathers had significantly higher weights and weight-growth velocities than did infants of fathers with a normal BMI. Maternal weight gain was a significant predictor of weight at birth and 3 mo of age. Exclusively breastfed infants had a slower weight-growth velocity as early as 1 mo of age compared with exclusively formula-fed infants.


CONCLUSIONS
In the first 3 mo of life, the positive associations between maternal obesity, plasma glucose concentrations, and infant anthropometric measures at birth seem to progressively fade away, whereas the emerging association with paternal BMI may indicate an early postnatal influence of paternal genetics. Among the determinants we evaluated, some are potentially modifiable, such as maternal gestational weight gain and infant feeding. The identification of optimal patterns of growth remains crucial before providing any clinical recommendations.
Regnault
Nolwenn
N
Center for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health, UMR, Villejuif, France. nolwenn.regnault@inserm.fr
Botton
Jérémie
J
Forhan
Anne
A
Hankard
Régis
R
Thiebaugeorges
Olivier
O
Hillier
Teresa A
TA
Kaminski
Monique
M
Heude
Barbara
B
Charles
Marie-Aline
MA
D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D009765:Obesity; D011247:Pregnancy; D013997:Time Factors; D015430:Weight Gain
D001786:Blood Glucose