Early anthropometric measures and reproductive factors as predictors of body mass index and obesity among older women

Jun 1, 2005International journal of obesity (2005)

Early body measurements and reproductive history linked to BMI and obesity in older women

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Abstract

In a study of 18,109 healthy women aged 49-83, a larger childhood body shape is associated with an increased risk of overweight and obesity.

Higher body shape at age 10 is linked to greater risk of overweight and obesity, while later age at menarche and age at first birth is associated with lower risk.
A U-shaped relationship exists between birthweight and the risk of being overweight or obese.
Significant interactions were found between childhood body shape and age, physical activity, age at first birth, and smoking in relation to overweight and obesity.
Increased physical activity in adulthood appears to reduce the risk of overweight and obesity among women with larger childhood body shapes and greater parity.

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OBJECTIVE: To examine whether early anthropometric measures and reproductive factors were associated with body mass index (BMI), overweight, and obesity.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional, observational study.

SUBJECTS: In all, 18 109 healthy women who participated in the Swedish Mammography Cohort aged 49-83 y.

MEASUREMENTS: Early anthropometric (birthweight and body shape at age 10 y) and reproductive (age at menarche, age at the birth of the first child, and parity) variables were our predictors and current BMI, overweight (BMI 25-29.99 kg/m(2)), and obesity (BMI > or =30 kg/m(2)) were our outcomes.

RESULTS: In multivariate-adjusted polytomous logistic regression analysis, risk of overweight and obesity increased with increasing body shape at age 10 y and decreased with increasing age at menarche and age at first birth (P for trend <0.0001). A U-shaped relation with birthweight was observed. In our tests for effect modification of the relation with overweight/obesity (ow/ob; BMI > or =25 kg/m(2)), we detected significant interactions between body shape at 10 y and age (P<0.0001); body shape at 10 y and physical activity (P<0.0001); age at first birth and smoking (P=0.02); and parity and physical activity (P=0.004). The increased risk of ow/ob among women who reported a larger childhood body shape was reduced as women moved from the lowest to highest quartile of physical activity in adulthood. Likewise, the increasing risk of ow/ob among women with greater parity was reduced with increased physical activity.

CONCLUSION: Early anthropometric measures and reproductive factors are significantly associated with BMI, overweight, and obesity among older women. The effects of childhood body weight, age at first birth, and parity may be modified by adult lifestyle choices, as well as age.

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Early anthropometric measures and reproductive factors as predictors of body mass index and obesity among older women

Abstract

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