title: The Effect of Fetal and Childhood Growth over Depression in Early Adulthood in a Southern Brazilian Birth Cohort.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Poor nutrition and growth during fetal life and childhood might be associated with depression in adulthood; however, studies evaluating these associations present controversial results, especially when comparing studies using different proxies for fetal growth. We evaluated the association of fetal and childhood growth/nutrition with depression, in adulthood, using different approaches and measurement methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 1982, hospital births (n = 5914) in Pelotas, southern Brazil, were examined and have been prospectively followed. At 30 years, the presence of major depression and depressive symptoms severity was evaluated using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). The present study assessed their association with birth weight, premature birth, small for gestational age (SGA), stunting and conditional growth during childhood.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 30 years, 3576 individuals were evaluated and 7.9% had major depression. Low birth weight (PR = 1.01 95%CI [0.64-1.60]), having been born SGA (PR = 0.87 95%CI [0.64-1.19]) and premature birth (PR = 1.22 95%CI [0.72-2.07]) were not associated with major depression in multivariable models. However, those born SGA who were also stunted in childhood had a higher prevalence of major depression (PR = 1.87 95%CI [1.06-3.29]) and greater odds of scoring a higher level of depression in the BDI-II (OR = 2.18 95%CI [1.34-3.53]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this Brazilian cohort of young adults, those born SGA who were also stunted during childhood had a higher risk of depression in adulthood. Our results show that the effect of growth impairment on depression is cumulative.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loret de Mola
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Health and Behavior, Universidade Católica de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciana de Avila
authors.initials: Lde A
authors.lastname: Quevedo
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Health and Behavior, Universidade Católica de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo Tavares
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Pinheiro
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Denise Petrucci
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Gigante
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Health and Behavior, Universidade Católica de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Janaína Vieira Dos Santos
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Motta
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Health and Behavior, Universidade Católica de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bernardo Lessa
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Horta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D001938:Brazil; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors