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Fetal macrosomia and adolescence obesity: results from a longitudinal cohort study

International Journal of Obesity volume 33, pages 923–928 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To assess the association between fetal macrosomia and adolescent obesity.

Design:

Longitudinal cohort study of the association between macrosomia and adolescent obesity.

Subjects:

Between 1 October 2005 and 1 February 2007, a follow-up study of live-born infants born in 1993–1995 in Wuxi, a suburban area of Shanghai, was conducted. Subjects with birth weight > 4000 g were selected as the exposed. For each exposed subject, one subject with a birth weight of 2500–4000 g, matched by year of birth, sex of infant, and type of institute at birth, was chosen as non-exposed. Clinical data were collected by structured interview and physical examination. Obesity was defined as body mass index (weight (kg)/height (m2)) higher than the sex-age-specific criteria by the working group on obesity in China. Distribution of baseline characteristics and adolescent obesity rate between the exposed and non-exposed groups was compared.

Results:

A total of 1435 pairs of exposed and non-exposed subjects were included in the final analysis. No major difference in baseline characteristics (other than birth weight) was found between the exposed and non-exposed groups. Obesity rate was significantly higher in the exposed group (2.9%) than in the non-exposed group (1.6%). Adolescent obesity rates were 1.4, 1.9, 2.6, and 5.6%, respectively, in study subjects with a birth weight of 2500–3499, 3500–3999, 4000–4499, and ⩾4500 g. The association between birth weight and adolescent obesity remained essentially the same when mother's demographic and anthropometric factors, breast feeding, and adolescent life-style factors were adjusted.

Conclusion:

Compared with infants of normal birth weight, infants with birth weight >4000 g, especially those >4500 g, are at increased risk of adolescent obesity.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA 1586). Dr Wen is a recipient of the Ontario Women's Health Council-Institute of Gender and Health of Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) Mid Career Award. Dr Sigal is a Canada Research Chair. Dr Walker is a new investigator of CIHR. We thank all study participants, physicians, nurses, and research staff in Shanghai and Wuxi for their support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shanghai Institute for Planned Parental Research, Shanghai, China

    Y Wang, E Gao & J Wu

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, OMNI Research Group, University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

    J Zhou, Q Yang, M C Walker & S W Wen

  3. Ottawa Health Research Institute, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

    J Zhou, Q Yang, M C Walker, M Mbikay, R J Sigal & S W Wen

  4. Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China

    J Zhou & S W Wen

  5. Departments of Medicine, Cardiac Sciences and Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada

    R J Sigal

  6. Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

    R C Nair & S W Wen

Authors
  1. Y Wang
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  2. E Gao
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  4. J Zhou
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  6. M C Walker
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  7. M Mbikay
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  10. S W Wen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to S W Wen.

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Wang, Y., Gao, E., Wu, J. et al. Fetal macrosomia and adolescence obesity: results from a longitudinal cohort study. Int J Obes 33, 923–928 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2009.131

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2009.131

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