Hossein Ansari
1, Mostafa Qorbani
2,3*, Fatemeh Rezaei
4, Shirin Djalalinia
5, Mojgan Asadi
6, Sareh Miranzadeh
7, Mohammad Esmaeil Motlagh
8, Sahel Bayat
3, Saeid Safiri
9, Omid Safari
2, Morteza Shamsizadeh
10, Roya Kelishadi
71 Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Health Promotion Research Center, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran
2 Non-communicable Diseases Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
3 Chronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4 Department of Social Medicine, Medical School, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
5 Development of Research & Technology Center, Deputy of Research and Technology, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
6 Osteoporosis Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
7 Pediatrics Department, Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
8 Department of Pediatrics, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
9 Managerial Epidemiology Research Center, Department of Public Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Maragheh, Iran
10 Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: This study aims to evaluate the association of birth weight (BW) with weight disorders in a national sample of Iranian pediatric population.
Methods: This nationwide survey was conducted among 25000 student’s aged 6-18 year-old students, who were selected using multistage cluster random sampling from 30 provinces of Iran in 2011-2012. Anthropometric measures were measured under standard protocols by using calibrated instruments. Abdominal obesity was defined based on waist circumference (WC) ≥90th percentile value for age and sex. The WHO criterion was used to categorize BMI. Students’ BW was asked from parents using validate questionnaire and was categorized as low BW (LBW) (BW <2500 g), normal BW (NBW) (BW: 2500-4000 g) and high BW (HBW) (BW>4000 g).
Results: This national survey was conducted among 23043 school students (participation rate: 92.6%). The mean age of participants (50.8% boys) was 12.54 ± 3.31 years. Results of multivariate logistic regression show that LBW increased odds of underweight (OR [odds ratio]: 1.61; 95% CI: 1.37, 1.89) and students with HBW had decreased odds of underweight (OR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.58, 0.93) compared to students with NBW. Students with LBW compared to student with NBW had decreased odds of overweight (OR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.69, 0.98) and general obesity (OR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.56, 0.95). On the other hand, HBW increased odd of overweight (OR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.50), generalized obesity (OR: 1.59; 95% CI: 1.29, 1.96) and abdominal obesity (OR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.11, 1.49) compared to NBW group.
Conclusion: BW is a determinant of weight disorders and abdominal obesity in childhood and adolescence. This finding underscores the importance of prenatal care as well as close monitoring of the growth pattern of children born with low or high BW.