Abstract
Purpose Previous studies have shown that low birth weight (LBW) is associated with cardiovascular risk in late adulthood. Recent studies in adolescents suggest that modifiable factors may have greater influence on increased cardiovascular risk. This study aims to investigate the association between LBW and changes in anthropometric and biochemical risk factors during adolescence in a population with low average socioeconomic status. Methods In a retrospective double cohort, data of birth weight were extracted from hospital records of children born on the same day between 1992 and 2002. According to the World Health Organization, we classified the children as having LBW or normal birth weight. A total of 172 subjects among children, adolescents and adults were researched. We measured anthropometric and clinical data, lipid profile and glucose after an overnight fasting. The low and normal weight groups were compared using Mann-Whitney U, Fischer exact, Chi-square (χ2) and Student's t tests. Results Pregnant women with preeclampsia delivered more newborns with LBW (p < 0.001). Anthropometric and clinical parameters were similar between groups. No differences were found in the family history of cardiovascular diseases (p = 0.1), family incomes (p = 0.8) and maternal school education (p = 0.8) between groups. Conclusion In this study, LBW did not increase cardiovascular disease risk factors in adolescents. We observed absence of association between low birth weight and poor health outcomes among adolescents with low socioeconomic status from an urban city in the Brazilian northeast.
Highlights
Over the past two decades, an extensive and growing literature has investigated the associations between low birth weight (LBW) and chronic diseases
This study aims to investigate the association between LBW and changes in anthropometric and biochemical risk factors during adolescence in a population with low average socioeconomic status
Many of those studies were conducted in countries with high average socioeconomic status and the majority demonstrated a strong association between LBW and increased risk of cardiovascular disease
Summary
Over the past two decades, an extensive and growing literature has investigated the associations between low birth weight (LBW) and chronic diseases. There are not many studies of cardiovascular risk factors for LBW pediatric populations in the Brazilian northeast.[12,13] This region has the lowest average socioeconomic status and the highest under-five mortality rates when compared with the other regions of the country.[14] In recent years, the Brazilian government has invested heavily in programs in the northeast to ensure better child nutrition These increases in the population’s income have not been reflected in health indicators, and the prevalence of overweightness and obesity (important predictors for several cardiovascular disease risk factors) is rising.[15]
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Schedule a callMore From: Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia / RBGO Gynecology and Obstetrics
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