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Overweight patterns throughout childhood and cardiometabolic markers in early adolescence

International Journal of Obesity volume 40, pages 58–64 (2016)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background:

Risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disease is higher in adults who were relatively thin at birth and had subsequent accelerated weight gain. This specific pattern of weight gain may relate to unfavorable cardiometabolic markers already in childhood. We prospectively assessed whether children with different patterns of overweight development from age 3 months to 11 years had distinct levels of cardiometabolic markers at age 12 years.

Subjects/Methods:

We used data of 1500 children participating in the PIAMA birth cohort that started in 1996/1997. Parents reported height and weight during 10 waves of follow-up from age 3 months to 11 years. Four distinct overweight development patterns were derived using longitudinal latent class analysis; ‘never’; ‘early transient’; ‘gradually developing’ and ‘persistent’ overweight. Cardiometabolic markers (total-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TC/HDLC) ratio, blood pressure (BP), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c)) were assessed at age 12 years in 1500 children.

Results:

Children who developed overweight gradually and children with persistent overweight throughout childhood, at age 12 years had a 2–3-fold higher risk of having high (>90th centile) TC/HDLC ratio, systolic and diastolic BP, compared with children who were never overweight. In children who gradually developed overweight, TC/HDLC ratio was 0.75 higher (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.54–0.96); systolic BP 4.90 mmHg higher (95% CI 2.45–7.36) and diastolic BP 1.78 mmHg higher (95% CI 0.07–3.49) than in children who never had overweight. Estimates for children with persistent overweight were similar.

Conclusions:

Children with gradually developing overweight, and those with persistent overweight had unfavorable cholesterol and blood pressure levels already at age 12 years, whereas children with early transient overweight avoided these unfavorable outcomes. Our results support the hypothesis that specific overweight patterns predispose to an adverse cardiometabolic profile, which is already apparent in early adolescence before progressing to adult cardiometabolic disease.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the contribution of all participating children and parents or caregivers of the PIAMA study. We thank Ada Wolse, Marjan Tewis and Marieke Oldenwening for their contribution to the data collection and data management. This work was supported by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (grant number S/260306/01/PA). The Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy Study was funded by grants from the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development; the Netherlands Asthma Foundation; the Netherlands Ministry of Planning, Housing and the Environment; the Netherlands Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport; and the Institute for Public Health and the Environment. The study sponsors had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis and interpretation of the data; and preparation, review or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

Author contributions

Ms Berentzen and Dr van Rossem conceptualized and designed the study, carried out the initial analyses, drafted and revised the manuscript, and approved the final manuscript as submitted. Dr Smit and Dr Wijga conceptualized and designed the study, reviewed and revised the manuscript, and approved the final manuscript as submitted. Drs Gehring, Koppelman, Postma and de Jongste critically reviewed the manuscript, and approved the final manuscript as submitted. All authors approved the final manuscript as submitted and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands

    N E Berentzen & A H Wijga

  2. Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands,

    N E Berentzen, L van Rossem & H A Smit

  3. Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    U Gehring

  4. Department of Pediatric Pulmonology and Pediatric Allergology, University of Groningen, Beatrix Children's Hospital, UMCG, GRIAC Research Institute, Groningen, The Netherlands

    G H Koppelman

  5. Department of Pulmonology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, GRIAC Research Institute, Groningen, The Netherlands

    D S Postma

  6. Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    J C de Jongste

Authors
  1. N E Berentzen
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  2. L van Rossem
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  7. H A Smit
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  8. A H Wijga
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Correspondence to N E Berentzen.

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Supplementary Information accompanies this paper on International Journal of Obesity website

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Berentzen, N., van Rossem, L., Gehring, U. et al. Overweight patterns throughout childhood and cardiometabolic markers in early adolescence. Int J Obes 40, 58–64 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2015.196

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