Early life predictors of development of blood pressure from childhood to adulthood: Evidence from a 30-year longitudinal birth cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The early life predictors of changes in the blood pressures of offspring between childhood and young adulthood have not been well defined. Thus, this study aimed to determine the life course association of offspring's blood pressure with prenatal and early infancy lifestyle, and other factors taking advantage of a large community-based, longitudinal study of a birth cohort in Australia - the MUSP study.

METHODS

The systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) was measured for 3793, 3782, 2628 and 1780 offspring of the Australian longitudinal cohort study at 5, 14, 21 and 30 years of their age, respectively. Individual PP and mean arterial pressure (MAP) was equated, and Generalized Estimating Equations with time (age) and predictor interaction modelling were performed.

RESULTS

Blood pressures of the offspring increased significantly between 5 and 30 years. Early life factors such as pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity, and hypertensive disorder in pregnancy were significantly positively associated, and duration of gestation and pre-pregnancy thinness of the mothers negatively associated with this life course increase in the offspring's blood pressure. Rapid increase in body weight from birth to 5 years had a strong association with increasing blood pressures components throughout their life course.

CONCLUSIONS

Several maternal pre-pregnancy and pregnancy factors along with the early life growth characteristics of offspring are important predictors of increase in blood pressure of the offspring from their childhood to adulthood.