Maternal and child predictors of vascular health in infancy and early childhood.

BACKGROUND

Excessive weight gain (EWG) in childhood may increase cardiovascular disease risk in adulthood, but its relationship to early vascular health remains poorly understood. This study investigated the relationship between EWG and aortic intima-media thickness (aIMT), a non-invasive ultrasound imaging marker of early vascular health, and explored maternal and child factors that may influence growth and aIMT during early childhood.

METHODS

Mother-child pairs from the BABY1000 pilot cohort were followed from early pregnancy to 24 months. Maternal and birth data were collected via questionnaires and medical records. Child anthropometry and aIMT were measured at 6 weeks and 24 months. EWG was defined as a > 0.67 SD increase in weight-for-length/height z-score from birth. Maternal pregnancy diet and child diet at 24-months was assessed with age-specific Australian Eating Survey® food frequency questionnaires. Linear regression was used to examine associations among growth, diet, and aIMT.

RESULTS

Of 182 births, 102 infants at 6 weeks and 83 children at 24 months had aIMT data. 26% of children at 6 weeks and 45% at 24 months had EWG, but it was not associated with aIMT at either follow-up. No associations were found between maternal or child diet and growth or aIMT.

CONCLUSIONS

Measuring aIMT in early childhood is feasible; however, larger studies are needed to clarify early-life influences on cardiovascular health.

IMPACT: Excessive weight gain (EWG) in childhood is associated with increased risk for later-life cardiovascular disease. Understanding these associations is complicated by confounding from maternal and perinatal factors and the long interval between exposure and disease outcomes. In this pilot study, we longitudinally measured aortic intima-media thickness (aIMT) in children, an age-appropriate marker of vascular health, and examined associations with early growth, maternal, and perinatal factors. EWG was not associated with aIMT during early childhood. Early childhood is important for long-term health promotion; however, more research is needed to clarify how exposures during this period affect later cardiovascular health.