Research article summary (published 22 Jun 2009):

An obesogenic postnatal environment is more important than the fetal environment for the development of adult adiposity: a study of female twins.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND: A relation between birth weight and adult body composition has been reported in singleton populations, especially when more accurate measures of body composition, such as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) were used. It remains uncertain whether this is mediated by a direct effect of fetal nutrition, through factors in the shared environment, or through genetic factors. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to investigate the relation between birth weight and body composition with the use of a co-twin design. DESIGN: DXA measurements and birth weights were available for 2228 dizygotic and 842 monozygotic female twins aged between 18 and 80 y. Multivariate regression models were used to identify both individual specific relations and those mediated through the shared environment. RESULTS: Significant relations were found between birth weight and DXA measures for individuals. A 1-kg increase in birth weight was associated with a 1.72-kg increase in lean mass, a 0.25-kg increase in fat mass, and a 0.05-unit increase in the lean:fat mass ratio. Within twin pairs, the analysis showed that associations between birth weight and absolute levels of lean and fat mass were mediated through individual-specific effects, whereas the relation between birth weight and the proportion of lean to fat mass was mediated purely through factors common to twin pairs. CONCLUSIONS: A higher birth weight is associated with a higher proportion of lean to fat mass as adults. However, these analyses suggest that this association is not determined by individual specific factors in utero (eg, fetal nutrition) but through factors in the shared common environment of the twins.

Author information

Author/s: Skidmore, Paula M L (PM); Cassidy, Aedin (A); Swaminathan, Ramasamyiyer (R); Richards, J Brent (JB); Mangino, Massimo (M); Spector, Tim D (TD); MacGregor, Alex J (AJ);

Affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. paula.skidmore(-atsign-)otago.ac.nz.

Grants: (Agency:Wellcome Trust)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Twin Study

Journal: The American journal of clinical nutrition (Am J Clin Nutr), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Aug; vol 90 (issue 2) : pp 401-6

Dates: Created 2009/07/21; Completed 2009/08/03;

PMID: 19553297, status: MEDLINE (last retrieved date: 8/21/2009)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article
(including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MeSH Headings (categories) shown below.

Absorptiometry, Photon Adipose Tissue - metabolism Adolescent Adult Aged Aged, 80 and over Birth Weight - physiology Body Composition - physiology Diet Environmental Exposure Female Great Britain

Great Britain Humans Middle Aged Multivariate Analysis Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism Obesity - epidemiology; etiology; genetics Pregnancy Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena - physiology Twins, Dizygotic Twins, Monozygotic Young Adult

Note: Bold headings indicate primary MeSH headings or qualifiers.

Related articles

These are the most related articles currently in our database:

• Obesity epidemic in India: intrauterine origins? 30 Jul 2004
• Prenatal programming of postnatal obesity: fetal nutrition and the regulation of leptin synthesis and secretion before birth. 30 Jul 2004
• Rapid growth among term children whose birth weight was appropriate for gestational age has a longer lasting effect on body fat percentage than on body mass index. 29 Nov 2006
• Smoking during pregnancy and offspring fat and lean mass in childhood. 29 Nov 2006
• Fetal programming of body composition: relation between birth weight and body composition measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and anthropometric methods in older Englishmen. 30 Oct 2005
• Associations between birth weight and later body composition: evidence from the 4-component model. 29 Sep 2008
• Relationship between birth weight and body composition, energy metabolism, and sympathetic nervous system activity later in life. 30 Oct 2000
• Maternal lean body mass may be the major determinant of birth weight: A study from India. 19 Jun 2006
• Programmed obesity in intrauterine growth-restricted newborns: modulation by newborn nutrition. 3 Aug 2004
• Effects of intended weight loss on morbidity and mortality: possible explanations of controversial results. 30 Oct 2006

See 100+ related articles.

Related Article Map

Legend: - FREE Full text Article. - Abstract only. - Title only. More help.

See a larger map of 100+ related articles.