Department of Food, Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 17671, Athens, Greece.
Int J Obes (Lond). 2023 Jul;47(7):651-658. doi: 10.1038/s41366-023-01310-8. Epub 2023 Apr 19.
Childhood obesity rates have reached epidemic levels with Mediterranean countries reporting among the highest numbers globally. Evidence suggests early life factors, including infant growth rate, increase the likelihood of obesity later in childhood. However, optimal rates of infant growth associated with lower odds of future obesity still remain undetermined. The study aim was to determine the optimal infant growth rate associated with a lower likelihood of childhood overweight and obesity.
Perinatal and anthropometric data collected from 1778 Greek preschool (2-5 years old) and 2294 Greek preadolescent (10-12 years old) children participating in the ToyBox and the Healthy Growth Study (HGS) respectively, was combined for examination. Logistic regression models and receiver operating curves were used to determine the association between infant growth rate and development of childhood overweight and obesity, as well as optimal infant growth rate, respectively.
Rapid weight gain during the first 6 months of life was positively associated with overweight and obesity in preadolescent children (OR:1.36, 95% CI: 1.13-1.63). Optimal cut-off points for several infancy growth rate indices (i.e., WAZ, WLZ, HAZ, BAZ) associated with a lower likelihood of overweight and obesity in preschool years and preadolescence were also identified.
The current findings could possibly set the basis for healthcare professionals and families to better monitor, assess, and control infant growth rates, thus providing another obesity prevention strategy from early life. These findings, however, and the recommended optimal cut-offs need to be confirmed through further prospective research.
地中海国家的儿童肥胖率已达到流行水平，报告的肥胖率位居全球前列。有证据表明，包括婴儿生长速度在内的早期生活因素会增加儿童后期肥胖的可能性。然而，与未来肥胖风险降低相关的最佳婴儿生长速度仍未确定。本研究旨在确定与儿童超重和肥胖风险降低相关的最佳婴儿生长速度。
将分别参加 ToyBox 和 Healthy Growth Study（HGS）的 1778 名希腊学龄前儿童（2-5 岁）和 2294 名希腊青春期前儿童（10-12 岁）的围产期和人体测量数据进行合并分析。使用逻辑回归模型和受试者工作特征曲线来确定婴儿生长速度与儿童超重和肥胖的发展之间的关联，以及最佳婴儿生长速度。
生命最初 6 个月内体重快速增加与青春期前儿童超重和肥胖呈正相关（OR：1.36，95%CI：1.13-1.63）。还确定了与学龄前和青春期超重和肥胖可能性降低相关的几个婴儿生长速度指数（即 WAZ、WLZ、HAZ、BAZ）的最佳截断点。
目前的研究结果可能为医疗保健专业人员和家庭提供更好地监测、评估和控制婴儿生长速度的基础，从而提供一种早期生活的肥胖预防策略。然而，这些发现和推荐的最佳截断值需要通过进一步的前瞻性研究来证实。
