Risk of Childhood Obesity in Children With High Birth Weight in a Rural Cohort of Northern India

ABSTRACT

Objective: To compare the risk of early childhood obesity (BMI zscore of ?+2SD) among children of more than 7 years of age with a birth weight of more than 3500 g to a birth weight of 2500- 2999 g. Methods: Retrospective birth cohort study among children of 7 to 10 years of age in 22 villages of Himachal Pradesh with notexposed (birth weight 2500 to 2999 g) and exposed (> 3500 g) group. Results: A total of 379 and 377 participants were enrolled in notexposed and exposed group, respectively. Adjusted relative risk (aRR) between exposed and high BMI (>+2SD) was 4.9 (95%CI 1.3-17.5) adjusted for mean age, gender, mean years of schooling, consumption of butter, fruits, vegetables, and indoor playing. Conclusion: High birth weight (>3500 g) increases and normal birth weight decreases the risk of childhood obesity up to five times in rural India.