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Infant Growth and Long-term Cardiometabolic Health: a Review of Recent Findings

  • Maternal and Childhood Nutrition (AC Wood, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Nutrition Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Infant weight gain is recognized to increase obesity risk across the lifespan. This review evaluates recent evidence relating growth in infancy to childhood, adolescent and adult body composition, and cardiometabolic risk factors.

Recent Findings

Greater weight or BMI gains in infancy increase both fat mass and fat-free mass in later life, but may preferentially contribute to central adiposity. Impacts of infant growth on cardiometabolic health are mixed, and most findings are attenuated after adjusting for current body size.

Summary

Infant weight gain, length gain, and BMI changes are important in establishing risk for cardiometabolic health across the lifespan. Infant growth effects on cardiometabolic health may be indirect, acting through changes in obesity risk or body composition.

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Abbreviations

ADP:

Air-displacement plethysmography (Pea Pod or Bod Pod)

AGA:

Appropriate for gestational age

AGEAP:

Age at infant BMI peak

AUC:

Area under the curve

AUS:

Abdominal ultrasound

BIA:

Bioelectrical impedance

BMI:

Body mass index

BMIAP:

BMI at infant BMI peak

CDC:

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

cIMT:

Carotid intima media thickness

DOHaD:

Developmental Origins of Health and Disease

DXA:

Dual x-ray absorptiometry

FFM:

Fat-free mass

FFMI:

Fat-free mass index

FM:

Fat mass

FMI:

Fat mass index

FPIR:

First-phase insulin response

IFG:

Impaired fasting glucose

LBW:

Low birth weight

LV:

Left ventricular

MetS:

Metabolic syndrome

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

NA:

Not assessed/not available

PMA:

Post-menstrual age

PWV:

Pre-peak weight velocity

SAT:

Subcutaneous adipose tissue

SDS:

Standard deviation score (z-score)

SFT:

Skinfold thicknesses

SGA:

Small for gestational age

SITAR:

Superimposition by Translation and Rotation

SST:

Sum of skinfold thicknesses

T2DM:

Type 2 diabetes

TBW:

Total body water, assessed by deuterium excretion

VAT:

Visceral adipose tissue

VLBW:

Very low birth weight

WBISI:

Whole-body insulin sensitivity index

WHO:

World Health Organization

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, MLC 5041, Cincinnati, OH, 45229-3039, USA

    Jessica G. Woo

  2. Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Jessica G. Woo

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  1. Jessica G. Woo
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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Maternal and Childhood Nutrition

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Woo, J.G. Infant Growth and Long-term Cardiometabolic Health: a Review of Recent Findings. Curr Nutr Rep 8, 29–41 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-019-0259-0

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