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Infancy weight faltering and childhood neurodevelopmental disorders: a general population birth-cohort study

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Abstract

While it is known that intrauterine growth restriction is associated with later mental disorders, it is still unclear whether similar associations exists for postnatal weight faltering, also known as ‘failure to thrive’ in infancy. This study examined the potential connection between infancy weight faltering and mental disorders diagnosed in childhood focusing specifically on neurodevelopmental disorders. The Copenhagen Child Cohort (CCC2000) was used to explore weight gain in infancy assessed by community health nurses. Data from the Danish national registries were used to quantify ICD-10 mental disorders diagnosed between birth and 12 years of age, as well as potential child and family confounders. Of 4.476 children with sufficient weight data, 339 (7.3%) children were diagnosed with a mental disorder in childhood. Both any (weight gain < -1SD) and severe infancy weight faltering (weight gain < -2SD) were associated with psychomotor delays, while severe infancy weight faltering was also associated with intellectual impairments. Notably, no significant associations were found between weight faltering and autism spectrum disorders or attention deficit hyperactivity disorders. Weight faltering in infancy may be an early marker of neurodevelopmental delays. This possibility should be considered when assessing infants with slow weight gain, to early identification and treatment of co-occurring neurodevelopmental disorders.

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Acknowledgements

The study was financially supported by Mrs. C. Hermansen's memorial Foundation, Dagmar Marshall's Foundation, Lundbeck Foundation, and Tryg Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Else Marie Olsen

  2. Center for Clinical Research and Prevention, The Capital Region, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Else Marie Olsen

  3. Department of Child Health, School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Charlotte M. Wright

  4. Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Uiversity of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Kim Fleischer Michaelsen

  5. Department of Communication and Psychology, University of Aalborg, Aalborg, Denmark

    Kristine Kahr Nilsson

  6. National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Anne Mette Skovgaard

  7. Psychiatric Center Ballerup, Mental Health Services in the Capital Region of Denmark, Ballerup, Denmark

    Else Marie Olsen

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  1. Else Marie Olsen
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  2. Kristine Kahr Nilsson
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  4. Kim Fleischer Michaelsen
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  5. Anne Mette Skovgaard
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Contributions

EMO conceived the original ideas for the study, designed the design of the specific investigation, and conducted the analyses, and was primarily responsible for writing the manuscript. CMW critically reviewed the design and the manuscript for important intellectual content and commented upon the drafts of the manuscript. KFM critically reviewed the manuscript for important intellectual content and commented upon the drafts of the manuscript. KKN contributed with the data plan, and contributed to the writing and formatting manuscript and commented upon the drafts of the manuscript. AMS conceptualized the larger cohort study in which this study is nested, critically reviewed the design and the manuscript for important intellectual content, and commented upon the drafts of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Else Marie Olsen.

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The funding foundations had no role in the design and conduct of the study.

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Olsen, E.M., Nilsson, K.K., Wright, C.M. et al. Infancy weight faltering and childhood neurodevelopmental disorders: a general population birth-cohort study. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 32, 1179–1188 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-021-01915-2

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