Early infant growth velocity patterns and cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes in childhood

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of infant growth on childhood health, we examined the associations of detailed longitudinal infant weight velocity patterns with childhood cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: In a population-based prospective cohort study among 4,649 children, we used repeated growth measurements between 0 and 3 years to derive peak weight velocity (PWV), age at adiposity peak (AGEAP) and body mass index at adiposity peak (BMIAP). At the age of 6 years, we measured blood pressure, left ventricular mass, and cholesterol, triglycerides and insulin concentrations and define children with clustering of risk factors. We assessed the associations using two multivariable linear regression models. RESULTS: A 1-standard deviation score (SDS) higher infant PWV was associated with higher diastolic blood pressure (0.05 SDS (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.02, 0.09)), and lower left ventricular mass (-0.05 SDS (95% CI -0.09, -0.01), independently of body size. A 1-SDS higher BMIAP was associated with higher systolic (0.12 (95% CI 0.09, 0.16) and diastolic blood pressure (0.05 (95% CI 0.01, 0.08)), but these associations were explained by childhood BMI. We did not observe associations of PWV, BMIAP and AGEAP with cholesterol and insulin concentrations. Higher PWV and AGEAP were associated with higher risk of clustering of cardiovascular risk factors in childhood (p-values<0.05). CONCLUSION: Infant weight velocity patterns are associated with cardiovascular outcomes. Further studies are needed to explore the associations with metabolic outcomes and long-term consequences.