Abstract
BackgroundAdult cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength are related to all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Both are possibly related to birth weight, but it is unclear what the importance is of genetic, maternal and placental factors in these associations.DesignPeak oxygen uptake and measures of strength, flexibility and balance were obtained yearly during adolescence (10–18 years) in 114 twin pairs in the Leuven Longitudinal Twin Study. Their birth weights had been collected prospectively within the East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey.ResultsWe identified linear associations between birth weight and adolescent vertical jump (b = 1.96 cm per kg birth weight, P = 0.02), arm pull (b = 1.85 kg per kg birth weight P = 0.03) and flamingo balance (b = −1.82 attempts to stand one minute per kg birth weight, P = 0.03). Maximum oxygen uptake appeared to have a U-shaped association with birth weight (the smallest and largest children had the lowest uptake, P = 0.01), but this association was no longer significant after adjustment for parental BMI. Using the individual twin’s deviation from his own twin pair’s average birth weight, we found positive associations between birth weight and adolescent vertical jump (b = 3.49, P = 0.0007) and arm pull (b = 3.44, P = 0.02). Δ scores were calculated within the twin pairs as first born twin minus second born twin. Δ birth weight was associated with Δ vertical jump within MZ twin pairs only (b = 2.63, P = 0.009), which indicates importance of placental factors.ConclusionsWe found evidence for an association between adolescent physical performance (strength, balance and possibly peak oxygen uptake) and birth weight. The associations with vertical jump and arm pull were likely based on individual, more specifically placental (in the case of vertical jump) factors. Our results should be viewed as hypothesis-generating and need confirmation, but potentially support preventive strategies to optimize birth weight, for example via placental function, to target later fitness and health.
Highlights
Maximum oxygen uptake appeared to have a U-shaped association with birth weight, but this association was no longer significant after adjustment for parental body mass index (BMI)
We found evidence for an association between adolescent physical performance and birth weight
Adult cardiorespiratory fitness is related to all-cause mortality and, to cardiovascular mortality. [1,2] Likewise, in adolescence and in young adults suboptimal cardiorespiratory fitness has been linked to unfavorable cardiovascular outcomes. [3,4,5] In addition, there is considerable interest in the developmental origins of cardiovascular fitness, which is mainly focused on the association with birth weight [6,7,8]
Summary
Adult cardiorespiratory fitness is related to all-cause mortality and, to cardiovascular mortality. [1,2] Likewise, in adolescence and in young adults suboptimal cardiorespiratory fitness has been linked to unfavorable cardiovascular outcomes. [3,4,5] In addition, there is considerable interest in the developmental origins of cardiovascular fitness, which is mainly focused on the association with birth weight [6,7,8].A number of studies suggest a positive association between birth weight and later cardiorespiratory fitness, which indicates that low birth weight babies may be programmed to have impaired cardiorespiratory fitness in adulthood. [6,7,8] In general, the fetus is thought to be plastic, adjusting itself to intrauterine circumstances in anticipation of its future, extrauterine environment. [9] A mismatch between intrauterine and extrauterine environment may give rise to disease. The positive association between birth weight and adult cardiorespiratory fitness is in accordance with observations that low birth weight is related to cardiovascular disease and its risk factors later in life. [13,14,15] These inconsistencies are possibly caused by methodological issues, such as the variety of measurement tools used to quantify cardiorespiratory fitness and by the different sets of potential confounders used in the analyses Another possible explanation for these inconsistent findings is confounding by genetic factors. Adult cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength are related to all-cause and cardiovascular mortality Both are possibly related to birth weight, but it is unclear what the importance is of genetic, maternal and placental factors in these associations
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