Body Mass Index and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Children and Adolescents with High Birth Weight

Abstract

Background/Aims: This study aimed to identify a possible association among high birth weight with overweight/obesity, high arterial blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance in children and adolescents. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with 719 children and adolescents (6–12 years) stratified according to birth weight (low birth weight [LBW] <2,500 g, adequate birth weight [ABW] 2,500–3,999 g, and high birth weight [HBW] ≥4,000 g). Data collected were anthropometric data, arterial blood pressure levels, lipid profile, and insulin resistance (fasting glucose and insulin, used to calculate homeostatic model assessment-IR). Results: The mean age of schoolchildren was 9.5 ± 2.0 years and 371 (51.6%) were male. LBW and HBW were observed in 79 of 719 (10.9%) and 40 of 719 (55.6%) children/adolescents, respectively. There was no increased risk of overweight (OR 0.9; 95% CI 0.4–2.1; p = 0.964) and obesity (OR 1.4; 95% CI 0.6–3.5; p = 0.588) in HBW group compared to LBW and ABW groups. HBW was not associated with high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance. The LBW group was independently associated with higher values of systolic (OR 1.07; 95% CI 1.05–1.10; p < 0.01) and diastolic blood pressure (OR 1.04; 95% CI 1.00–1.07; p = 0.044). Conclusion: There was no association between HBW with overweight/obesity and classic cardiovascular risk factors in this group of children/adolescents. Only LBW was related to higher blood pressure levels.