Body mass index development from birth to early adolescence; effect of perinatal characteristics and maternal migration background in a Swedish cohort.

Mohsen Besharat Pour,Anna Bergström,Inger Kull,Jessica Magnusson,Magnus Wickman,Tahereh Moradi,Matteo Bottai,Harry Zhang

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0109519

Abstract

BackgroundWell documented diversity in risk of developing overweight and obesity between children of immigrant and of native mothers, might be explained by different body mass index (BMI) development trajectories in relation to maternal and perinatal characteristics of offspring.ObjectivesTo assess BMI development trajectories among children born to immigrant and to Swedish mothers from birth to adolescence in relation to perinatal characteristics.MethodsA cohort of 2517 children born in Stockholm during 1994 to 1996 was followed with repeated measurement of height and weight at eleven time points until age 12 years. We estimated changes over time for BMI in relation to maternal and perinatal characteristics of offspring using mixed linear model analysis for repeated measure data.ResultsWe observed a significant BMI change over time in children and time interaction with maternal migration status (P<0.0001). Estimated BMI over time adjusted for maternal and perinatal characteristics of offspring, showed slower BMI growth before age of 5, followed by an earlier plateau and steeper BMI growth after 5 years among children of immigrant mothers compared with children of Swedish mothers. These differences in BMI growth were more prominent among children with mothers from outside Europe.ConclusionBeside reinforcing early childhood as a crucial period in development of overweight, the observed slower BMI development at early childhood among children of immigrants followed by a steeper increase in BMI compared with children of Swedish mothers is important for further studies and for planning of preventive public health programs.

Highlights

Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic worldwide and recently entitled as a contemporary challenging public health priority by World Health Organization [1]
Beside reinforcing early childhood as a crucial period in development of overweight, the observed slower body mass index (BMI) development at early childhood among children of immigrants followed by a steeper increase in BMI compared with children of Swedish mothers is important for further studies and for planning of preventive public health programs
With exception of having higher parity (.2) which was more prevalent among immigrant mothers there were no differences in gestational age, birth weight, or duration of breast feeding between children of immigrant and of Swedish mother

Summary

Introduction

Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic worldwide and recently entitled as a contemporary challenging public health priority by World Health Organization [1]. During the past three decades many western countries including United States have experienced a multiplicative increase in prevalence of childhood obesity [2]. Despite positive reports indicating flattening childhood obesity trend in Sweden [4], it might be too early to conclude it as in a steady state [5]. A large proportion of obese children remain overweight or obese through adulthood, and are at increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic morbidity and mortality [7]. Well documented diversity in risk of developing overweight and obesity between children of immigrant and of native mothers, might be explained by different body mass index (BMI) development trajectories in relation to maternal and perinatal characteristics of offspring

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion