Research Article

Adolescent Metabolic Syndrome Risk Is Increased with Higher Infancy Weight Gain and Decreased with Longer Breast Feeding

Table 1

Background characteristics of study participants by gender.

Males ( )Females ( ) P value*

Infancy characteristics
 Gestational age (weeks)40 (38–40)40 (39-40) 0.22
 Birth weight (kg)3.50 (3.28–3.78)3.44 (3.22–3.72) 0.05
 Birth length (cm)51.0 (50.0–52.0)50.0 (49.0–51.5)<0.01
 Weight at 3 months (kg)6.43 (6.00–6.99)6.00 (5.61–6.40)<0.01
 Weight gain 0–3 months (kg)2.85 (2.43–3.28)2.42 (2.15–2.75)<0.01
 Total years of maternal education10 (8–12)10 (8–12) 0.52
 Exclusively breastfed ≥90 days45.950.6 0.37
Adolescent characteristics and metabolic risk factors
 Age (years)16.6 (16.6–16.9)16.7 (16.6–16.9)0.15
 BMI percentile64.0 (38.6–88.2)74.9 (46.0–89.9)0.10
 Waist circumference (cm)78.2 (73.3–87.9)79.7 (72.2–88.1)0.83
   Elevated percentage16.049.0<0.01
 Triglycerides (mg/dL)71.6 (55.8–99.2)73.0 (57.2–104.4)0.77
   Elevated percentage7.28.00.78
 HDL cholesterol (mg/dL)34.1 (28.5–40.5)40.0 (32.5–48.3)<0.01
   Low HDL (%)28.224.00.29
 Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg)115 (107–125)107 (102–114)<0.01
   Elevated percentage8.34.40.09
 Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg)70 (67–76)68 (61–71)<0.01
   Elevated percentage3.90.60.03
 Glucose (mg/dL)90 (84–96)86 (80–92)<0.01
   Elevated percentage11.69.10.44
 MetS risk z-score0.01 (−0.23–0.40)−0.26 (−0.53–0.02)<0.01
 MetS prevalence11.69.10.45
Family factors
 Family history of type 2 diabetes15.314.4 0.82
 Family history of hypertension42.340.6 0.76
 Family history of dyslipidemia33.645.5 0.04
 Family history of heart attack 8.3 5.1 0.29

Values are in median (interquartile range) or percentage. *Statistical tests are either Mann-Whitney U or Chi-square.
According to the International Diabetes Federation definition [24].