title: Birth weight, intrauterine growth restriction and nutritional status in childhood in relation to grip strength in adults: from the 1982 Pelotas (Brazil) birth cohort.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the association among birth weight, intrauterine growth, and nutritional status in childhood with grip strength in young adults from the 1982 Pelotas (Brazil) birth cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 1982, the hospital live births of Pelotas were followed. In 2012, grip strength was evaluated using a hand dynamometer and the best of the six measurements was used. Birth weight was analyzed as z-score for gestational age according to Williams (1982) curve. Weight-for-age, weight-for-length/height, and length/height-for-age at 2 and 4 y were analyzed in z-scores according to 2006 World Health Organization Child Growth Standards. Lean mass at 30 y was included as possible mediator using the g-computation formula.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2012, 3701 (68.1%) individuals were interviewed and 3470 were included in the present analyses. An increase of 1 z-score in birth weight was associated with an increase of 1.5 kg in grip strength in males (95% confidence interval, 1.1-1.9). Positive effect of birth weight on grip strength was found in females. Grip strength was greater in individuals who were born with appropriate size for gestational age and positively associated with weight- and length/height-for-age z-score at 2 and 4 y of age. A positive association between birth weight and grip strength was only partially mediated by adult lean mass (50% and 33% of total effect in males and females), whereas direct effect of weight at 2 y was found only in males.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is suggested that good nutrition in prenatal and early postnatal life has a positive influence on adult muscle strength. The results from birth weight were suggestive of fetal programming on grip strength measurement.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil; Nutrition Department, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil. Electronic address: renatabielemann@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Renata Moraes
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Bielemann
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil; Nutrition Department, 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.
authors.forename: Bernardo Lessa
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Horta
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001938:Brazil; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D053580:Muscle Strength; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011181:Postnatal Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Birth weight; Cohort studies; Hand strength; Nutritional status