Body mass index z-scores in the first 2 years of life were associated with adverse metabolic and anthropometric outcomes at 3 years of age

Aim: We investigated associations between body mass index (BMI) z-scores for children aged 0-2 years and the BMI z-scores, body fat percentage and metabolic risk factors at 3 years of age.

Methods: This was a secondary analysis of the Lifestyle in Pregnancy and Offspring randomised controlled trial, carried out at two university hospitals in Denmark. It comprised 149 mothers with BMI ≥30 kg/m² who did or did not receive a lifestyle intervention during pregnancy and a reference group of 97 mothers with normal-weight, with follow-up of their 3-year-old offspring. The children in these three groups were pooled for the data analyses, due to similar characteristics between groups. The BMI z-scores were calculated at 5 weeks, 5 months and 1, 2 and 3 years, using Danish reference groups. Their anthropometrics and metabolic outcomes were examined at 3 years of age.

Results: BMI z-scores at 5 months to 2 years were associated with BMI z-scores and body fat percentage at 3 years of age and BMI z-scores were not associated with metabolic risk factors at 3 years.

Conclusion: BMI z-scores from 5 weeks of age were associated with adverse anthropometric outcomes but not with metabolic risk factors at 3 years of age.