Body size at birth is associated with food and nutrient intake in adulthood.
BACKGROUND
Small body size at birth is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Dietary habits are tightly linked with these disorders, but the association between body size at birth and adult diet has been little studied. We examined the association between body size at birth and intake of foods and macronutrients in adulthood.


RESULTS
We studied 1797 participants, aged 56 to 70, of the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study, whose birth weight and length were recorded. Preterm births were excluded. During a clinical study, diet was assessed with a validated food-frequency questionnaire. A linear regression model adjusted for potential confounders was used to assess the associations. Intake of fruits and berries was 13.26 g (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.56, 25.96) higher per 1 kg/m(3) increase in ponderal index (PI) at birth, and 83.16 g (95% CI: 17.76, 148.56) higher per 1 kg higher birth weight. One unit higher PI at birth was associated with 0.14% of energy (E%) lower intake of fat (95% CI: -0.26, -0.03) and 0.18 E% higher intake of carbohydrates (95% CI: 0.04, 0.32) as well as 0.08 E% higher sucrose (95% CI: 0.00, 0.15), 0.05 E% higher fructose (95% CI: 0.01, 0.09), and 0.18 g higher fiber (95% CI: 0.02, 0.34) intake in adulthood. Similar associations were observed between birth weight and macronutrient intake.


CONCLUSIONS
Prenatal growth may modify later life food and macronutrient intake. Altered dietary habits could potentially explain an increased risk of chronic disease in individuals born with small body size.
Department of Chronic Disease Prevention, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland. mia.perala@thl.fi
Mia-Maria
MM
Perälä
Satu
S
Männistö
Niina E
NE
Kaartinen
Eero
E
Kajantie
Clive
C
Osmond
David J P
DJ
Barker
Liisa M
LM
Valsta
Johan G
JG
Eriksson
D000368:Aged; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D049628:Body Size / Q000502:physiology*; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D004044:Dietary Proteins