354 HEIGHT, WEIGHT, AND WEIGHT/HEIGHT INDICES: PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF 582 CAUCASIAN CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO AGE 5

Abstract

Relationships between height(H),weight(W), and W/H indices at birth, 3, 6, and 12 mo. to those at age 5 yrs. were prospectively studied in 582 white children to examine the contribution of obesity in infancy to obesity in childhood.There were 286 boys(B), 296 girls(G);497 bottle fed, 85 breast fed. H at birth and at 5 yrs. was correlated for B and G(r=.28, .27, p<.0001), with the 6 mo:5 yr. correlations .53 and .60. W at birth and at age 5 were correlated for B and G(r=.20,.21,p<.0001), with the 6 mo:5 yr correlations .42 and .56. W/H at 6 mo. was related to W/H at age 5 in B and G(r=.34,. 52,p<.0001). H/W¹/3 at 6 mo. and at 5 yrs. was correlated in B and G(r=.40, .55, p<.0001). W/H² at 6 mo. and at 5 yrs. was related in B and G(r=.27, .46, p<.0001). The percentage of variation in the 5 yr. W, W/H, H/W¹/3, and W/H² explained by the 6 mo. values for these variables was 18%, 12%, 16%, and 7% for B, and 32%, 27%, 31%, and 22% for G. The percentage of variation in the 5 yr. values for W/H, H/W^1/3, and W/H² explained by the 1 yr. values was 25%, 22%, and 19% for B, and 34%,19%, and 23% for G. Correlations between H,W, and W/H indices during the 1st yr. and subsequent years, were higher for G than for B. W/H indices for breast and formula fed infants were very similar. Although H, W, and W/H indices at age 5 reflect those of 3, 6, and 12 mo., 36% to 94% of their variance at age 5 is not accounted for by their levels between birth and age l,indicating limits of the predestination concept, that fat infants become fat children.

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