title: Fetal Growth, Obesity, and Atopic Disorders in Adolescence: a Retrospective Birth Cohort Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Developmental status at birth and subsequent obesity have been implicated in the development of childhood atopic dermatitis (AD) and allergic rhinitis (AR).
  
  
  METHODS
  The current study analysed the cohort data of 74 688 junior high school students from a national retrospective birth cohort study in Taiwan. A random 10% sample was selected from singleton livebirths with complete data on the analytical variables of interest. Atopic disorders, including AD and AR, were assessed by questionnaires (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood). Logistic regression analyses were applied with adjustments for related risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among subjects mainly 13-15 years of age, the estimated prevalence was 7.6% for AD and 22.4% for AR. While the role of fetal growth in allergic disorders was less evident, the risk of developing AD and AR were both influenced by a combination of fetal growth status and adolescent body mass index (BMI). Compared with those with normal fetal growth and school-aged BMI, the risk of developing AD increased 64% among adolescents with both restricted fetal growth and high BMI (odds ratio 1.64, 95% confidence interval 1.37, 1.97). The risk for this combination was higher than that for either restricted fetal growth or high BMI alone. Nevertheless, the overall interaction between BMI and fetal growth status on atopic disorders did not reach statistical significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Excessive weight gain could be an important risk factor related to developing atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis during adolescence, especially among infants born small for gestational age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Meng-Hung
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Tzu-Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Jung
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Physiology and Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA.
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Caffrey
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Yu-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Risk Management, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.|Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei, Taiwan.|Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: I-Jen
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-Chao
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pau-Chung
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Trong-Neng
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ruey-Shiung
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D015430:Weight Gain
keywords: allergic rhinitis; atopic dermatitis; body mass index; obesity; small for gestational age