Age at childbirth and change in BMI across the life-course: evidence from the INCAP Longitudinal Study

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Ann M DiGirolamo¹  Usha Ramakrishnan²  Aryeh D Stein²  Manuel Ramirez-Zea³  Mónica Mazariegos³  Maria F Kroker-Lobos³  Jithin Sam Varghese⁴ 

[1] Georgia Health Policy Center, Georgia State University, 33 Gilmer Street SE, 30303, Atlanta, GA, USA;Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE #7007, 30322, Atlanta, GA, USA;INCAP Research Center for the Prevention of Chronic Diseases (CIIPEC), Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP), 6 Avenida 6-25 zona 11, Guatemala City, Guatemala;Nutrition and Health Sciences Doctoral Program, Laney Graduate School, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd NE #7007, 30322, Atlanta, GA, USA;

关键词: Parity;    Childbirth;    Obesity;    BMI;    Timing;    Reproductive age;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12884-022-04485-6

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundParity has been associated with both short- and long-term weight gain in women. However, it is not clear if timing of parity across the reproductive age has different associations with BMI.MethodsTo prospectively assess the association between age at childbirth and maternal change in BMI, we analyzed data from the ongoing INCAP Longitudinal Study, which started in 1969 in four villages in Guatemala. Cohort women (n=778) provided information on reproductive history and anthropometric measures were measured in 1988-89 (adolescence, 15 to 25y), 2002-04 (early adulthood, 26 to 36y) and 2015-17 (mid adulthood, 37 to 55y). We evaluated the associations of number of live births in the period preceding each study wave (1969-77 to 1988-89, 1988-89 to 2002-04 and 2002-04 to 2015-17) with BMI change in the same period using multivariable linear regression models.ResultsNumber of live births between 1988 and 89 and 2002-04 was positively associated with increased BMI, while there was not an association between number of live births and BMI in the other intervals. Women who had one, two, or three or more children between 1988 and 89 and 2002-04 had 0.90 (kg/m2, 95% CI: -0.55, 2.35), 2.39 (kg/m2, 95% CI: 1.09, 3.70) and 2.54 (kg/m2, 95% CI: 1.26, 3.82) higher BMI, respectively, than women who did not give birth in the same period.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that women who had three or more children during early adulthood gained more weight compared to women who had no children in the same period. In contrast, women who had children earlier or later in their reproductive lives did not gain additional weight compared to those who did not have children during that period. Childbirth may have different associations with BMI based on the mother’s age.

【 授权许可】

CC BY