Height Trajectory During Early Childhood Is Inversely Associated with Fat Mass in Later Childhood in Mexican Boys

Abstract

Background: Childhood obesity continues to be a global health problem. Previous research suggests that linear growth retardation or stunting during early childhood increases the risk of obesity, but others have reported that rapid linear growth poses a greater concern than early nutritional status.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine if growth trajectories are associated with body composition at age 8-10 y.

Methods: Study participants consisted of 255 girls and 281 boys who participated in a follow-up of the Prenatal Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation and Child Growth and Development (POSGRAD) Study. Sex-specific latent height class (LHC) trajectories were derived from 11 measures of height from birth to 5 y of age and used to calculate 3 distinct growth classes for boys (low, intermediate, and high) and 2 distinct classes for girls (low and high). Body composition at age 8-10 y was estimated using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between growth trajectory classes and fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) in late childhood, controlling for confounding factors.

Results: In girls, there were no significant associations between LHC and FM or FFM. In boys, relative to the intermediate LHC, the low LHC had higher FM (β = 0.69 kg; 95% CI: 0.26-1.11 kg) and the high LHC had lower FM (β = -0.40 kg; 95% CI: -0.76 to -0.05 kg). Boys in the low LHC had significantly less FFM (β = -0.69 kg; 95% CI: -1.11 to -0.26 kg), and boys in the high LHC had more FFM (β = 0.40 kg; 95% CI: 0.05-0.76 kg) compared with the intermediate LHC.

Conclusion: Gain in height among boys, but not girls, in early childhood was associated with lower adiposity in late childhood compared with children with a slower rate of growth. Clinical trial registration number: NCT00646360.

Keywords: adiposity; body composition; double burden of malnutrition; growth; latent class analysis.

Copyright © American Society for Nutrition 2019.

Figures

FIGURE 1

Sex-specific height trajectories derived from 11 measures of height in the first 5 y of life of study participants at follow-up in the Prenatal Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation and Child Growth and Development (POSGRAD) Study. Mean height (cm) by latent class group in girls (A) and boys (B) and reference birth to 5 y length/height-for-age WHO z scores in the background.