Weight Children Research Articles

Trajectories of cardiorespiratory fitness from childhood to adolescence: Findings from the QUALITY cohort

ABSTRACT Estimate the shape and number of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) trajectories from childhood to adolescence; and verify whether CRF trajectory membership can be predicted by sex, biological maturation, body weight, body composition and physical activity (PA) in childhood. Data from QUALITY were used. Participants attended baseline (8–10 y old, n = 630) and follow-ups 2 years (n = 564) and 7 years (n = 359) after baseline. Group-based trajectory analysis for relative peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak, ml·kg−1·min−1) was performed. A multinomial logistic regression model was used to estimate the associations between baseline predictors and trajectory membership. Mean age of the 454 participants was 9.7 ± 0.9 years at baseline. Three distinct VO2peak trajectories were identified and all tended to decrease. They were labelled according to the starting point and slope. High-Decreasers were mostly boys, had lower body weight and fat-free mass index and higher PA levels at baseline (p < 0.05). Female sex and higher weight were associated with higher odds of being classified in the Low-Decreaser trajectory (OR = 74.03, 95%CI = 27.06–202.54; OR = 1.48, 95%CI = 1.36–1.60). Those with higher PA were less likely to be Low-Decreasers (OR = 0.96, 95%CI = 0.94–0.97). Sex, body weight and PA in childhood are important influencing factors of VO2peak (ml·kg−1·min−1) trajectories across adolescence.

Weight- and Health-focused Conversations in Racially/Ethnically Diverse Households With and Without a Child with Overweight/Obesity.

Studies indicate parent conversations focused on child weight, shape, or size are associated with unhealthy child weight and weight-related behaviors, whereas health-focused conversations are not. Little research has examined what these types of conversations sound like, how parents respond to them, and whether households with or without a child with overweight/obesity approach these conversations differently. This study used qualitative data to identify the weight- and health-focused conversations occurring in racially/ethnically diverse households. Children ages 5-7 and their families (n=150) from six racial/ethnic groups (i.e., African American, Hispanic, Hmong, Native American, Somali, White) participated in this mixed-methods study. Results showed that parents from households with and without a child with overweight/obesity engaged in similar weight- and health-focused conversations (qualitative themes = focus on growth; health consequences of having overweight/obesity; focus on dietary intake and physical activity; being direct about weight, shape or size; mixing weight- and health-focused conversations). In addition, findings showed that parents also engaged in different types of weight- and health focused conversations depending on whether the household had a child with overweight/obesity (qualitative themes = weight-based teasing; critiquing own weight) or without overweight/obesity (qualitative themes = differences in body shape and size are the norm; focus on modeling rather than talking). Results may be useful for informing public health interventions and for health care providers working with parents regarding weight- and health-focused conversations occurring in home environments of diverse children.

Overview of Risk Factors for the Incidence of Malnutrition there are Toddlers in Tamalanrea District, Makassar City in 2019

Poor nutrition is the condition of a person with below-average nutrition. This is a form of the process of chronic malnutrition. The purpose of the study: to determine the description of risk factors for malnutrition in children under five, including socioeconomic status, maternal education, frequency of infectious diseases, maternal knowledge, birth weight, and exclusive breastfeeding. This study is a descriptive study with a cross sectional design. The sample of this study used purposive sampling method. Atotal of 70 samples in this study, including 45 malnourished children under five and 25 not malnourished in Tamalanrea sub-district, Makassar City. Results of the study: malnutrition group as much as 84.4% were in low socioeconomic status, 62.2% came from the lowest education level n 73.4% were not exclusively breastfed, 66.7% had a history of low birth weight, 66.7% were born to mothers with a low level of maternal knowledge, and 60% had a history of high infectious diseases. Conclusions: socioeconomic level, mother's education level, mother's knowledge, birth weight of malnourished children tend to be lower than children who are not malnourished. Children with poor nutrition tend not to get exclusive breastfeeding, and the frequency of suffering from infectious diseases is more frequent than children who are not malnourished

Factors Affecting Married Women’s Intention to Have a Second Child: Focusing on Reproductive Health Factors

Purpose: This study analyzed factors that influence married women's intentions to have a second child from the perspective of reproductive health in Korea.Methods: The analysis included 332 married women whose first child birth was within the last 3 years from the 2021 National Family and Fertility Survey data. First, the general characteristics of married women was presented through frequency analysis. The differences in the characteristics of married women regarding their intention to have a second child were also analyzed using a chi-square test and independent samples t-test. Second, we analyzed the reproductive health characteristics of married women according to age using a chi-square test. Finally, logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the effect of married women's reproductive health factors on their intention to have a second child.Results: With various variables controlled, age, infertility, and negative pregnancy experiences had a negative effect on the intention to have a second child, whereas child values and trust in the government had a positive effect. In addition, differences in the reproductive health of married women were found according to age, and the proportions of infertility, negative pregnancy experiences, and preterm birth or low birth weight of the first child were high in elderly married women.Conclusion: To alleviate the low fertility rate in terms of additional childbirth, it is necessary to combine and strengthen not only medical treatment related to women's reproductive health but also psychoemotional counseling as a non-medical treatment, with support from the government.

Chicken floss and catfish nuggets supplementary to increasing weight gain in stunted children

Background: Stunted children are not only less tall, but most of them are also underweight. Lack of nutritional intake, especially protein intake, is suspected as one of the factors. Shredded chicken and catfish nuggets have high protein, but the scientific evidence for these food supplements in increasing stunting children's weight is still limited.Objective: To determine the effectiveness of supplementation chicken floss and catfish nuggets to increase weight gain in stunted children.Methods: This is a quasi-experimental with a pretest-posttest design; as many as 70 stunted children with underweight participated in this study. Respondents were given supplementation for 14 days. Respondents' weight was monitored before and after. Data were analyzed by pair t-test.Results: The results of the hedonic test of 30 panelists said that 27 (90%) stated that they received chicken floss, and 28 (90.33%) received catfish nuggets. There was an increase in the average stunting toddler weight after the given supplementation, which was 0.534 kg, (p&lt;0.0001).Conclusion: Chicken floss and catfish nuggets supplements can increase weight gain in stunted children.

MIDO GDM: an innovative artificial intelligence-based prediction model for the development of gestational diabetes in Mexican women

Given the barriers to early detection of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), this study aimed to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-based prediction model for GDM in pregnant Mexican women. Data were retrieved from 1709 pregnant women who participated in the multicenter prospective cohort study ‘Cuido mi embarazo’. A machine-learning-driven method was used to select the best predictive variables for GDM risk: age, family history of type 2 diabetes, previous diagnosis of hypertension, pregestational body mass index, gestational week, parity, birth weight of last child, and random capillary glucose. An artificial neural network approach was then used to build the model, which achieved a high level of accuracy (70.3%) and sensitivity (83.3%) for identifying women at high risk of developing GDM. This AI-based model will be applied throughout Mexico to improve the timing and quality of GDM interventions. Given the ease of obtaining the model variables, this model is expected to be clinically strategic, allowing prioritization of preventative treatment and promising a paradigm shift in prevention and primary healthcare during pregnancy. This AI model uses variables that are easily collected to identify pregnant women at risk of developing GDM with a high level of accuracy and precision.

Assessing Metal Exposures Among Children Living in Environmental Justice Communities Near Metal Recycling Facilities in Houston, Texas

Background: Children living in environmental justice (EJ) neighborhoods may be vulnerable to metal exposure from industrial facilities that are located near their homes. Methods: Working with community partners, we held 20 recruitment events and invited children aged 5–12 and their parents living in EJ communities in Houston to participate in an environmental health study. Parents completed a questionnaire about their child's diet and behaviors and urine samples were collected from children to evaluate their metal exposure. Results: During a 4-month period, we recruited 52 out of 67 (78%) eligible parent/child dyads with 96% of children providing urine samples and 90% of questionnaires complete except for data on children's height and weight. While urinary metal concentrations in our study population were generally similar compared with children aged 6–11 years in the 2015–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we observed higher levels among children who frequently ate Mexican candy, rice, or red meat, spent more time outdoors, played with cosmetics, had metal piercings, or lived in a home with smokers or where pesticides were used. Discussion: Our study was successful in recruiting children in EJ communities for the purpose of assessing urinary metal exposure and obtaining questionnaire data from parents to examine the potential sources of exposure. Except for chromium and cobalt, 14 metals were detected in more than half of children's urine samples. We identified potential key determinants of exposure in this population that should be further examined. Conclusion: Findings point to the need for adequately powered studies among potentially vulnerable children living in EJ communities to profile metal exposures and identify important sources of these exposures.

Nutritional Status, Anemia and Eating Behavior among Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels in a Primary Health Care of Peru

Aim: Malnutrition, anemia, and lead exposure are important public health problems. Introduction: To assess nutritional status, anemia, and eating habits and their relationship to elevated blood lead levels in children. Materials and Methods: Descriptive study conducted with data from children evaluated in a district of Callao, Peru. The variables studied were: nutritional status, based on anthropometric measurements; anemia, determined by blood hemoglobin concentration; dietary habits, evaluated by the 24-hour dietary recall method and food consumption frequency; and blood lead, determined by LeadCare II analyzer. Results and Discussion: A total of 425 children participated, with a median age of 6 years (IQR=5; Q3=9, Q1=4), 52.2% (n=222) were female and 71.3% (n=303) had blood lead level (BLL) ≥5μg/dL. Among children with BLL ≥5 μg/dL, 11.6% (n=35) presented poor nutritional status, 9.9% (n=30) had anemia, and 63% (n=191) had inadequate eating habits. Of the children with inadequate eating habits, 17.4% (n=47) had poor nutritional status and 15.9% (n=43) had anemia, compared to children with adequate eating habits (p&lt;0.001). In children with BLL ≥5 μg/dL, the children's median hemoglobin, body weight, and height were 12.2 g/dL, 21.6 Kg, and 114.8 cm, respectively; while in those with Pb levels &lt;5 μg/dL it was 12.5 g/dL, 29 Kg and 126.55 cm, respectively (p&lt;0.05). Conclusion: Nutritional status, anemia, and eating habits did not differ according to BLL; however, lower median hemoglobin, weight, and height were found in children with elevated lead levels. Children with subnormal nutritional status and children with anemia presented a shorter time to reach elevated blood lead levels.

Obesity increased the risk of SARS-CoV-2 positivity in children.

To determine the effects of obesity in childhood on SARS-CoV-2 infection. A population-based, cross-sectional study combining the Israeli Growth Survey and COVID-19 data for children with at least one SARS-CoV-2 test from 16 February 2020 to 20 December 2021. Overweight and obesity status were based on body mass index and the Center for Disease Control criteria. Multivariate logistics regression was performed to validate reliability for weight categories at the age of approximately 6 years compared with weights at approximately 12 years. A total of 444 868 records for children with an overall positivity rate of 22% were studied. The mean age was 9.5 years. The odds ratios of children with obesity or overweight after controlling for sex at 6 years to test positive were 1.07-1.12 and 1.06-1.08 (depending on the model), respectively, compared to those with healthy range body mass index. Excess weight appears to increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This finding should be considered for public health planning. For example, children with overweight and obesity should be prioritised for vaccination. Excess weight in childhood can be harmful at a young age and not only for long-term health.

A CRITICAL REVIEW OF ASHWAGANDHADI LEHA ON MALNUTRITION IN CHILDREN

Malnutrition is characterized by deficiencies, excesses, or imbalances in a person's nutrient or calorie consumption. Children in developing countries like India continue to struggle with this serious and challenging public health problem. According to India's most recent National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), 36% of infants under five have stunted growth (too short for their age). This is an indication of ongoing malnutrition. 32% of children under five are underweight, which is a symptom of severe undernutrition, while 19 percent of children under five are wasted (too small for their height). Malnutrition can be correlated with Karshya in Ayurveda, and it can be managed with a preparation of Ashwagandha called "Ashwagandhadi Leha." This drug is made up of the following ingredients: Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Tila (Sesamum indicum), Mash (Vigna mungo), Guda (Jaggery), Pippali (Piper longum), and Ghrita (Cow ghee). Emphasizing "Ashwagandhadi Leha's" efficacy in treating malnourished children is the main purpose of the current review. The ingredients of this drug have Deepana (increase digestive fire), Balya (Provide strength), Brinhana (provide nourishment), and Rasayana (rejuvenator) properties. The clinical evidence shows that these health promoters enhance bioavailability and have excellent nutritional properties. The present paper reveals that this drug is better for gaining weight in malnourished children.

Improving Access to Child and Adolescent Weight Loss Surgery: A Review of Updated National and International Practice Guidelines.

The rise of childhood obesity is a growing concern due to its negative impact on health.Metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) has gained popularity as an effective and adequate intervention for children and adolescent patients living with severe obesity. Nonetheless, access to MBS for this population is still limited. The objective of this paper is to conduct a comprehensive review of the latest national and international practice guidelines and improve access to MBS for children and adolescents. The paper focuses on the recommendations from the 2023 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and 2022 guidelines from the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO). Recently updated guidelines from the ASMBS and IFSO aim to improve access to MBS for children and adolescents and recommend patient selection, preoperative evaluation, and postoperative care. While lifestyle changes, medication, and behavioral therapy are commonly prescribed, they often fail to achieve permanent weight loss and its maintenance. Weight-loss surgeries like sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and gastric bypass (RYGB) show promising results in managing severe obesity in adolescents. SG has become the preferred method for treating severe obesity in adolescents, surpassing RYGB. Weight stigma is also explored in this review, revealing its negative effects on individuals who are overweight and underweight. Furthermore, telehealth is identified as an increasingly valuable tool for managing pediatric obesity, as it can improve access to care, particularly for those in remote areas where physicians trained to treat childhood obesity and the shortage of bariatric surgeons experienced in treating younger adolescents and pediatricians with advanced training are major obstacles.

Weight self-misperception and obesity-related knowledge, attitudes, lifestyle behaviours and cardio-metabolic markers among Chinese school-aged children and adolescents.

The relationships between childhood weight self-misperception and obesity-related factors particularly health markers have not been extensively discussed. This study aims to examine the associations between weight self-misperception and obesity-related knowledge, attitudes, lifestyles and cardio-metabolic markers among Chinese paediatric population. Cross-sectional study. Data sourced from a national survey in Chinese seven provinces in 2013. Children and adolescents aged 5-19 years. Of the total 14 079 participants, there were 14·5 % and 2·2 % participants over-estimated and under-perceived their weight, respectively. Multi-variable logistic regression was applied to calculate OR and 95 % CI (95 % Cl) of obesity-related behaviours and cardio-metabolic markers by actual and perceived weight status. Individuals who perceived themselves as overweight/obese were more likely to have prolonged screen time, insufficient dairy intake and over sugar-sweetened beverages consumption (all P < 0·05), regardless of their weight. Furthermore, actual overweight/obese individuals had higher odds of abnormal cardio-metabolic markers, but a smaller magnitude of association was found among weight under-estimators. Among non-overweight/obese individuals, weight over-estimation was positively associated with abdominal obesity (OR: 10·49, 95 % CI: 7·45, 14·76), elevated blood pressure (OR: 1·30, 95 % CI: 1·12, 1·51) and dyslipidemia (OR: 1·43, 95 % CI: 1·29, 1·58). Weight over-perception was more prevalent than under-estimation, particularly in girls. Weight over-estimators tended to master better knowledge but behave more unhealthily; both weight over-perception and actual overweight/obesity status were associated with poorer cardio-metabolic markers. Future obesity intervention programmes should additionally pay attention to the population with inaccurate estimation of weight who were easily overlooked.

Assessment of the Impact of Increased Physical Activity on Body Mass and Adipose Tissue Reduction in Overweight and Obese Children.

(1) Background: Within the last 30 years, growing rates of child overweight and obesity have been observed as a very concerning phenomenon in most countries worldwide. The research aim was to assess what effect increased physical activity has on reducing body mass and adipose tissue in children between 10 and 11 years of age as well as to answer the question of whether physical activity could be considered as a factor in preventing child overweight and obesity when maintaining their existing diet and lifestyle. (2) Material and methods: There were 419 sports class primary school pupils in the experimental group who, in addition to four obligatory weekly physical education hours, attended six training hours. The control group comprised 485 children from parallel non-sports classes. In all pupils, height and weight measurements as well as physical fitness measurements were taken twice, at the beginning and end of the school year. Cole's method was used to assess the children's normal body weight. With the help of this method, children with excessive body weight were selected from the entire study group (N = 904), who additionally had skinfolds and adipose tissue measured using the BIA electrical bioimpedance method. The obtained results were interpreted using the variance analysis for repeated measurements and LSD test. (3) Results: The number of children with excessive body mass after 10 months of increased physical activity decreased (in the case of overweight: p = 0.0014, obesity: p = 0.0022), as did their skinfolds (p ≤ 0.001) and body fat (p ≤ 0.001), while their physical fitness considerably improved compared to the control group. (4) Conclusions: The introduction of increased physical activity in the experimental group children when maintaining their existing diet and lifestyle contributed to reducing their obesity and overweight and, at the same time, proved to be an effective factor in the process of decreasing their excessive body mass.

Long-term outcomes for children conceived by assisted reproductive technology

Worldwide, more than 10 million children have been born after Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) and comprised up to 7.9% of children born in Europe and up to 5.1 % of children born in the US in 2018 (1, 2). The short-term outcome for children born after ART is well-known from numerous publications, with higher rates of preterm birth and low birth weight in children born after fresh embryo transfer and higher rates of large for gestational age and high birth weight in children born after frozen embryo transfer compared to children born after spontaneous conception (3, 4). Higher rates of birth defects in children born after ART have also been shown consistently over time (5). Studies on long-term health outcomes after ART are scarcer but suggest an increased risk of altered blood pressure and cardiovascular function in children born after ART. In this review we summarize long-term health outcomes in children born after ART and discuss if the increased health risks are associated with intrinsic maternal or paternal factors related to sub fertility or to the ART treatments per se. Finally, we speculate where the future will bring us with regards to ART treatment strategies and safety of the mother and child.

A three-arm randomized controlled trial using ecological momentary intervention, community health workers, and video feedback at family meals to improve child cardiovascular health: the Family Matters study design

BackgroundNumerous observational studies show associations between family meal frequency and markers of child cardiovascular health including healthful diet quality and lower weight status. Some studies also show the “quality” of family meals, including dietary quality of the food served and the interpersonal atmosphere during meals, is associated with markers of child cardiovascular health. Additionally, prior intervention research indicates that immediate feedback on health behaviors (e.g., ecological momentary intervention (EMI), video feedback) increases the likelihood of behavior change. However, limited studies have tested the combination of these components in a rigorous clinical trial. The main aim of this paper is to describe the Family Matters study design, data collection protocols, measures, intervention components, process evaluation, and analysis plan.Methods/designThe Family Matters intervention utilizes state-of-the-art intervention methods including EMI, video feedback, and home visiting by Community Health Workers (CHWs) to examine whether increasing the quantity (i.e., frequency) and quality of family meals (i.e., diet quality, interpersonal atmosphere) improves child cardiovascular health. Family Matters is an individual randomized controlled trial that tests combinations of the above factors across three study Arms: (1) EMI; (2) EMI + Virtual Home Visiting with CHW + Video Feedback; and (3) EMI + Hybrid Home Visiting with CHW + Video Feedback. The intervention will be carried out across 6 months with children ages 5–10 (n = 525) with increased risk for cardiovascular disease (i.e., BMI ≥ 75%ile) from low income and racially/ethnically diverse households and their families. Data collection will occur at baseline, post-intervention, and 6 months post-intervention. Primary outcomes include child weight, diet quality, and neck circumference.DiscussionThis study will be the first to our knowledge to use multiple innovative methods simultaneously including ecological momentary intervention, video feedback, and home visiting with CHWs within the novel intervention context of family meals to evaluate which combination of intervention components are most effective in improving child cardiovascular health. The Family Matters intervention has high potential public health impact as it aims to change clinical practice by creating a new model of care for child cardiovascular health in primary care.Trial registrationThis trial is registered in clinicaltrials.gov (Trial ID: NCT02669797). Date recorded 5/02/22.

Children with lower ratings of executive functions have a greater response to the portion size effect

Deficits in executive functions (EFs), a set of cognitive processes related to self-regulation, are associated with the development of obesity. Prior studies from our group showed that lower food-cue related activation in brain regions implicated in self-regulation was related to a larger portion size effect. We tested the hypothesis that lower EFs in children would be positively related to the portion size effect. Healthy weight children aged 7–8 y (n = 88), who varied by maternal obesity status, participated in a prospective study. At baseline, the parent primarily in charge of feeding completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF2) to assess child EFs, including Behavioral (BRI), Emotional (ERI), and Cognitive (CRI) indices. At 4 baseline sessions, children consumed meals in which the portion sizes of foods (pasta, chicken nuggets, broccoli, and grapes) varied by visit (total meal weight of 769, 1011, 1256, or 1492g). Intake increased with increasing portions in a linear trajectory (p < 0.001). EFs moderated the portion size effect such that lower BRI (p = 0.003) and ERI (p = 0.006) were associated with steeper increases in intake as portions increased. As amount of food increased, children in the lowest functioning tertiles for BRI and ERI increased intake by 35% and 36%, respectively, compared to children in the higher tertiles. Increases in intake among children with lower EFs were for higher- but not lower-energy-dense foods. Thus, in healthy weight children who varied by obesity risk, lower parentally reported EFs were associated with a larger portion size effect, and these results were independent of child and parent weight status. Therefore, EFs may be target behaviors that could be strengthened to help children moderate excess intake in response to large portions of energy-dense foods.

Level of prematurity as a predictor for the activity of retinopathy of prematurity and strabismus.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of strabismus in premature children after the screening for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and to determine whether the level of prematurity (birth weight and gestation age) can be used as a predictor for both strabismus development and disease activity. Methods: This is a retrospective study, conducted in the Clinic for Eye Disease, section for Pediatric Ophthalmology of the Clinical Centre University of Sarajevo during the period from December 2013 until January 2017. 126 patients were involved. The inclusion criteria were gestational age ≤ 34 weeks, birthweight ≤ 2000 g and performed screening test for ROP. Patients were divided into three groups: patients without ROP, patients with spontaneous regression and patients with active ROP. Results: 52.4% patients were suffering from strabismus (30.2% esotropia, 22.2% exotropia). All the patients with active ROP had esotropia (60.0%). The average birth weight and gestational age were lower in patients with strabismus (1371.3 ± 58.0 g and 29.7 ± 0.4 weeks respectively). Conclusion: Lower gestational age and birth weight of premature children showed the increased probability of strabismus development especially esotropia. Prematurity level was significantly lower in patients with active ROP compared to the rest of the patients. Abbreviations: ROP = Retinopathy of prematurity, ICROP = International Classification of Retinopathy of prematurity, BCVA = best corrected visual acuity.

ASSESSMENT OF LIFESTYLE CHANGES AND THEIR EFFECT ON HEALTH AMONG CHILDREN OF ≤15 YEARS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC, IN NORTH INDIA

Objective: The objectives of the study were: (1) To assess life style changes among children of ≤15 years of age during COVID-19 pandemic and (2) to find out the effect of the life style changes on health of children of ≤15 years of age. Methods: The cross-sectional comparative study conducted at department of pediatrics, Vivekananda Polyclinic and Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow for duration of 1 year and sample size found to be 276 on calculation by applying the formula. Results: Out of 278 children, about 39% (108) were female children. Most of children were studying in primary level classes (52.51%) and most of enrolled children had joint family (66.18%). Level of physical activity reduced significantly due to closure of school and restriction on outdoor activities. Weight of children increased significantly during COVID-19 pandemic seems to be due to decreased in physical activities and consumption of more fast food/fried food (high calorie intake) and sedentary life style. Conclusion: During COVID-19 pandemic due to closure of schools and restricted outdoor activities results in decrease level of physical activities, increased consumption of high calorie food and sedentary behavior lead to increase in weight of children and changes in sleeping pattern of children.

Weight status change from birth to childhood and the odds of high blood pressure among Chinese children.

It is well documented that birth weight and childhood weight are associated with the blood pressure (BP) levels in childhood. However, the impact of weight status change from birth to childhood on BP among children is less well described. We aimed to assess the association between changes in weight status from birth to childhood and high BP in childhood. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey conducted in Jinan, China, and a total of 5,546 children aged 6-17 years were included in this study. Based on the birth weight status [high weight (> 4,000 g) vs. normal weight (2,500-4,000 g)] and childhood weight status during the survey period [high weight (overweight and obesity) vs. normal weight], children were assigned into four groups: persistently normal weight (normal birth weight and normal childhood weight), resolved high weight (high birth weight but normal childhood weight), incident high weight (normal birth weight but high childhood weight), and persistently high weight (high birth weight and high childhood weight). After adjustment for sex and age, BP in childhood was more responsive to current body mass index (BMI) than birth weight. After adjustment for the potential covariates, compared with children who had persistently normal weight from birth to childhood, those with incident high weight (odds ratio [OR] = 3.88, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.29-4.57) and persistently high weight (OR = 3.52, 95% CI = 2.71-4.57) were associated with the increased odds of childhood high BP. However, children who had resolved high weight did not have significantly increased odds of high BP in childhood (OR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.59-1.25). The association of BP with recent BMI was stronger than with birth weight. Children who had incident or persistently high weight from birth to childhood had increased odds of high BP in childhood, whereas the odds was not significantly increased among those with high birth weight but changed to normal weight in childhood. Our findings highlight the importance of maintaining an appropriate weight in the early lifetime for the prevention of high BP and other related diseases, especially for those with high birth weight.

Stress exposure in specific growth periods associates with children's weight, height, and body mass index.

We investigate associations between children exposure to stressful events, considering: (1) the period in which the event took place, (2) the type of event, and (3) the cumulative effect of the events on children's weight, height and body mass index (BMI). A total of 8429 Portuguese children (3349 exposed to at least one stressful event during their lifetime; 50.2% males; mean age = 7.21 ± 1.85 years) were included in the analysis. The occurrence of stressful (i.e., adverse) events was reported in a parental questionnaire; children's weight and height were objectively measured. When the stress event took place in the first 2 years of life, compared with during pregnancy or after the 2 years, children were shorter; but the association was weak and only significant for boys. After adjustment for child's birthweight, gestational age, breastfeeding duration, number of siblings, and father's education, the experience of 3+ stressful events (vs. 1 or 2) was associated with higher weight and height in boys. No interaction effect was found between stress and BMI. We found some evidence of associations between exposure to stressful events and physical growth of boys. We highlight the complex relationship between exposure to stressful experiences and children's physical growth, particularly the different effects of specific characteristics of the stress event and the sex differences.