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Epidemiology and Population Health

Birth weight, childhood body mass index, and risk of diverticular disease in adulthood

International Journal of Obesity volume 47, pages 207–214 (2023)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective

Adult overweight is associated with increased risk of diverticular disease (DD). We investigated associations between birthweight and childhood body mass index (BMI) and DD.

Methods

Cohort study of 346,586 persons born during 1930–1996 with records in the Copenhagen School Health Records Register. Data included birthweight, and height and weight from ages 7 through 13. We used Cox proportional hazard regression to examine associations between birthweight and BMI z-scores and DD registered in the Danish National Patient Registry. Due to non-proportionality, we followed participants from age 18–49 and from age 50.

Results

During follow-up, 5459 (3.2%) women and 4429 (2.5%) men had DD. For low and high BMI in childhood, we observed a higher risk of DD before age 50. Among women with z-scores <0 at age 13, the hazard ratio (HR) was 1.16 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.98–1.39] per one-point lower z-score. For z-scores ≥0 at age 13, the HR was 1.30 (95% CI: 1.11–1.51) per one-point higher z-score. Among men with z-scores <0 at age 13, the HR was 1.02 (95% CI: 0.85–1.22). For z-scores ≥0 at age 13, the HR was 1.54 (95% CI: 1.34–1.78). Z-scores ≥0 were not associated with DD after age 50. Among women only, birthweight was inversely associated with DD before age 50 [HR = 0.90 (95% CI: 0.83–0.99) per 500 g higher birthweight].

Conclusion

BMI z-scores below and above zero in childhood were associated with higher risk of DD before age 50. In addition, we observed lower risk of DD among women, the higher their birthweight.

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Fig. 1
Fig. 2: Association between BMI z-scores at ages 7 and 13 years and DD among women younger than 50 years, fitted by restricted cubic splines.
Fig. 3: Association between BMI z-score at ages 7 and 13 years and DD among men younger than 50 years, fitted by restricted cubic splines.

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Data availability

To comply with Danish and European regulations on data protection, data used in this study will not be made publicly available.

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Acknowledgements

The CSHRR was initiated and planned by TIAS and built by the Institute of Preventive Medicine, The Capital Region of Denmark. The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (R01DK101495). The Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, receives funding for other studies from companies in the form of research grants to (and administered by) Aarhus University. None of these studies have any relation to the present study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Medicine, Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark

    Anne Sofie D. Laursen & Henrik T. Sørensen

  2. Center for Clinical Research and Prevention, Copenhagen University Hospital—Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Britt W. Jensen & Jennifer L. Baker

  3. Division of Gastroenterology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA

    Lisa L. Strate

  4. The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Genomic Physiology and Translation Program, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Thorkild I. A. Sørensen

  5. Department of Public Health, Section of Epidemiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Thorkild I. A. Sørensen

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Contributions

HTS, LLS, JLB, TIAS and BWJ designed the study. TIAS initiated and planned the Copenhagen School Health Records Register. BWJ analyzed the data. All authors interpreted the results. ASDL drafted the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Anne Sofie D. Laursen.

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Laursen, A.S.D., Jensen, B.W., Strate, L.L. et al. Birth weight, childhood body mass index, and risk of diverticular disease in adulthood. Int J Obes 47, 207–214 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-023-01259-8

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