Abstract
BackgroundSuboptimal prenatal and early postnatal growths are associated with obesity in later life, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature that reports on the longitudinal association of (i) birth size or (ii) infant growth with later (i) energy intake, (ii) eating behaviors, (iii) physical activity or (iv) sedentary behavior in humans.MethodsA comprehensive search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and The Cochrane Library was conducted to identify relevant publications. We appraised the methodological quality of the studies and synthesized the extracted data through a best-evidence synthesis.ResultsData from 41 publications were included. The quality of the studies was high in three papers, moderate in 11 and low in the large majority (n = 27) of papers appraised. Our best-evidence synthesis indicates that there is no evidence for an association of birth weight with later energy intake, eating behavior, physical activity or sedentary behavior. We found moderate evidence for an association of extreme birth weights (at both ends of the spectrum) with lower physical activity levels at a later age. Evidence for the association of infant growth with energy balance-related behavior was generally insufficient.ConclusionsWe conclude that current evidence does not support an association of early-life growth with energy balance-related behaviors in later life, except for an association of extreme birth weights with later physical activity.
Highlights
There is an abundance of literature highlighting the importance of early life growth on adult-onset disease risk
Our best-evidence synthesis indicates that there is no evidence for an association of birth weight with later energy intake, eating behavior, physical activity or sedentary behavior
We conclude that current evidence does not support an association of early-life growth with energy balance-related behaviors in later life, except for an association of extreme birth weights with later physical activity
Summary
There is an abundance of literature highlighting the importance of early life growth on adult-onset disease risk. As a marker of suboptimal prenatal growth, is strongly linked to central obesity[1], cardiovascular disease[2] and type 2 diabetes.[3] In addition to low birth weight, high birth weight and accelerated postnatal weight gain have been independently associated with cardiometabolic disease and obesity.[4] These associations may reflect physiological predictive adaptive responses to early life environmental cues, with long-term structural and/or functional changes that influence later health and disease risk.[5]. One of the hypothesized mechanisms underlying the association of pre- and early postnatal growth with later obesity and cardiovascular disease is the alteration of energy balance-related behaviors, including eating behavior, physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB). The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature that reports on the longitudinal association of (i) birth size or (ii) infant growth with later (i) energy intake, (ii) eating behaviors, (iii) physical activity or (iv) sedentary behavior in humans
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