Rapid infant weight gain is associated with excess adiposity at 7-years of age in children from Aragon, Spain

• Published in: Child and adolescent obesity 2021-01, Vol.4 (1), p.60-77
• Main Authors: Flores-Barrantes, P., Iglesia, I., Miguel-Berges, M. L., Vučinić, V., Moreno, L. A., Rodríguez, G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adiposity; body mass index; Childhood obesity; fat mass index; free fat mass index; growth and development
• ISSN: 2574-254X; 2574-254X
• DOI: 10.1080/2574254X.2020.1865122

Background: Infants with rapid weight gain (RWG) during the 1 st year are at increased risk of overweight. Objective: To examine its associations with body mass index z-score (BAz), fat mass index (FMI) and free fat mass index (FFMI) in 7 y-old Spanish children from the CALINA study. Methods: Dual X - Ray Absorptiometry scans and weight and height measurements were conducted. RWG was defined as a positive change in weight/age Z-score greater than 0.67 from birth to 6 months (0-6 m), 6 to 12 months (6-12m) and 0 to 12 months (0-12m). Adjusted linear regressions were performed. Results: A RWG from 0-6m, 6-12m and 0-12m was associated with BAz in children (B = 0.607, B = 0.522 and B = 0.649, p ≤ 0.001 in all cases), specifically in boys with RWG from 0-6 m (B = 0.734, p = 0.001) and in girls from 6 to 12 m (B = 0.678, p = 0.006). RWG predicted FMI in children with RWG from 6-12 m (B = 0.590, p = 0.008), being significative only in girls (B = 1.259, p = 0.001) and in children with RWG from 0-12 m (B = 0.493, p = 0.024), being significative only in boys (B = 0.593, p = 0.035). FFMI was higher in those with RWG from 0-6 m, 6-12 m and 0-12 m (B = 0.618, B = 0.468, B = 0.575 p