Early-Life Factors Affecting Cholesterol in Children
Author Information
Author(s): Bekkers Marga B.M., Brunekreef Bert, Smit Henriëtte A., Kerkhof Marjan, Koppelman Gerard H., Oldenwening Marieke, Wijga Alet H.
Primary Institution: Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University
Hypothesis
How do early-life factors influence childhood cholesterol concentrations?
Conclusion
Total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio in 8-year-old children was positively associated with maternal pre-pregnancy overweight, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and rapid infant weight gain.
Supporting Evidence
- Maternal pre-pregnancy overweight was associated with a higher total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio.
- Rapid infant weight gain was linked to increased cholesterol levels.
- Maternal smoking during pregnancy correlated with higher cholesterol ratios in children.
Takeaway
This study found that what happens to kids early in life, like how much their moms weighed before pregnancy or if they were breastfed, can affect their cholesterol levels when they're 8 years old.
Methodology
The study analyzed data from 751 children, measuring cholesterol levels and considering various early-life factors through regression analyses.
Potential Biases
Data on early-life factors were obtained from parental reports, which may include reporting errors.
Limitations
The study had a small number of mothers with gestational diabetes and low birth weight children, which may limit the ability to detect associations.
Participant Demographics
Children aged 8 years from the PIAMA birth cohort study, with a mix of allergic and non-allergic mothers.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.15 for maternal pre-pregnancy overweight, 0.13 for rapid infant weight gain, 0.14 for maternal smoking
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 0.02 to 0.28 for maternal pre-pregnancy overweight, 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.26 for rapid infant weight gain, 95% CI: 0.00 to 0.29 for maternal smoking
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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