Persistent weight gain between 0 and 4 years of age is associated with higher dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate levels at 7 years old: Data from the Generation XXI birth cohort.

Abstract

To assess the influence of longitudinal weight gain from 0 to 4 years old on dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) levels at 7 years old. DHEAS levels were measured at 7 years old in a subsample of 587 children from the Generation XXI birth cohort. Weight trajectories (0-4 years of age) were identified using model-based clustering and categorized as "normal weight gain,""weight gain during infancy,""weight gain during childhood" and "persistent weight gain." Differences in DHEAS levels at age 7 between the four weight trajectories were analysed through analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), adjusted for birth weight (BW) and body mass index (BMI). In the crude analysis, compared with the "normal weight gain" trajectory (5.53 (95% CI: 5.10-5.98]µmol/L), DHEAS levels were significantly higher in children in the "persistent weight gain" (8.75 [95% CI: 7.23-10.49] µmol/L, p < .001] and in children in the "weight gain during infancy" trajectories (7.68 [95% CI: 6.22-9.49] µmol/L, p = .021]and marginally significantly higher in children in the "weight gain during childhood" trajectory (6.89 (95% CI: 5.98-8.00) µmol/L; p = .052). In BW- and BMI-adjusted model, a statistically significant difference in DHEAS levels was found between the "persistent weight gain" (7.93 [95% CI: 6.43-9.86] µmol/L) and the "normal weight gain" trajectories ([5.75 [95% CI: 5.32-6.23] µmol/L; p = .039). Higher DHEAS levels are found in 7-year-old children following a trajectory of persistent weight gain from 0 to 4 years, independently of their BW or current BMI, highlighting the impact of exposure to overweight in the first years of life on prepubertal adrenal androgen production.