Abstract

Evidence suggests that the hypertriglyceridemic-waist phenotype is related to the occurrence of cardiovascular metabolic risk factors. This study was aimed at assessing the relationship between weight in childhood and the presence of hypertriglyceridemic-waist phenotype. The 1982 Pelotas birth cohort included 5914 children who were born in three maternities in Pelotas, southern Brazil. The subjects have been followed-up for several times. In 2004–2005 (mean age 23 years), we attempted to trace the whole cohort and obtain blood samples. Conditional growth modelling was used to assess the association between the phenotype and weight gain from birth to 20, and from 20 to 42 months. Adjusted analyses controlled for household assets index, family income, maternal schooling at birth, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and breastfeeding duration. In 2004–2005, we interviewed 4297 subjects, and collected blood of 3911. Among small-for-gestational age subjects, weight gain in the first 20 months was not associated with the phenotype. But, those subjects whose weight gain from 20 to 42 months of age was faster than that predicted from birthweight and weight-for-age z-score at mean age of 20 months had a higher risk of presenting the phenotype [1.73 (95% CI 1.15 to 2.79)]. Among subjects whose birthweight was adequate-for-gestational age weight gain in childhood increased the risk of having the phenotype. These findings suggest that among small-for-gestational age infants, early weight gain is not related to the presence of metabolic cardiovascular risk factors.