Weight history from birth through childhood and youth in relation to adult lung function, in Danish juvenile obese and non-obese men.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the associations of birth weight, body mass index (BMI) during childhood and youth, and current BMI with adult lung function.

DESIGN

Population-based longitudinal study of juvenile obese and non-obese men, who were identified at draft board examination (age range: 19-27 y) and who participated in a follow-up examination in 1981-1983 (age range: 25-48 y). Birth weight, childhood weight and height measurements from 7 to 13 y of age were obtained from school health records. Current BMI and lung function were assessed at follow-up.

SETTING

Copenhagen and adjacent regions, Denmark.

SUBJECTS

In total, 193 juvenile obese men at draft board examination and 205 randomly selected nonobese controls from the same population.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Lung function measured by forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) and forced vital capacity (FVC), adjusted for age and height.

RESULTS

After adjusting for current BMI, smoking and education, birth weight was positively related to FEV(1), although only with borderline statistical significance. BMI at age 7 y was positively associated with both FEV(1) and FVC, whereas BMI at later ages in childhood and in youth was not associated with these measures. There was a strong negative linear relation between current BMI and lung function among those currently overweight and obese (BMI 25 kg/m(2)), whereas no association was seen in the non-obese (BMI <25 kg/m(2)).

CONCLUSION

Our findings confirm the detrimental effect of high current BMI on adult lung function, and further suggest that early childhood growth has a protective influence.