Extreme Birthweights And Metabolic Syndrome In Adulthood

This study examined the effects of high birthweight (HBW) and low birthweight (LBW) on an individual’s risk of developing metabolic syndrome later in life; with consideration of both maternal and individual lifetime behavioral, social, and environmental factors. The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) dataset was used to identify individuals with metabolic syndrome and individuals who reported either HBW or LBW. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between LBW and HBW with metabolic syndrome, while controlling for various social and demographic factors. A univariate relationship between LBW and future risk of metabolic syndrome was attenuated by pertinent socioeconomic and lifestyle-related risk factors that defined both the participant and their familial influence, particularly maternal age at the time of birth. A link between HBW and metabolic syndrome was not found. This work does not support a correlation of birth weight with adult metabolic syndrome. However, the multifaceted risk factors in the development of metabolic syndrome may be attributed to genetic, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors that similarly influence a mother’s likelihood of delivering an extreme birthweight infant.