Prenatal and postnatal nutritional mismatch, reflected by birth weight and adult body mass index, and cardiometabolic disease risk
Authors' conclusion
Combined exposure to LBW and HBMI was most strongly associated with an elevated risk of CMD, underscoring the critical role of the mismatch between early-life and adult nutritional status in shaping long-term cardiometabolic health.
Study context
- Population
- UK Biobank participants of White European ancestry
- Participants
- 254,224 participants
- Exposure
- Birth weight and adult body mass index (BMI) categories
- Outcome
- ASCVD
Methodological details2 × 2 factorial Mendelian randomization
- 2 × 2 factorial Mendelian randomization
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Each group vs HBW-LBMIHazard ratio (95% CI)
LBW-LBMI
1.19(1.12–1.26)
HBW-HBMI
1.33(1.28–1.38)
LBW-HBMI
1.62(1.50–1.75)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | HR (CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia (LBW-HBMI)LBW-HBMI vs HBW-LBMI · hypertension | 2.42 (2.26–2.59) | |
| Hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia (LBW-HBMI)LBW-HBMI vs HBW-LBMI · diabetes | 5.16 (4.73–5.63) | |
| Hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia (LBW-HBMI)LBW-HBMI vs HBW-LBMI · hyperlipidaemia | 1.95 (1.81–2.10) | |
| 0.20.5125Hazard ratio (log scale) |
Hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia (LBW-HBMI)
- Additive interactions between LBW and HBMI for metabolic diseases
Causality (Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis)
- Causality of associations confirmed by MR analysis
Original publication
Prenatal and postnatal nutritional mismatch, reflected by birth weight and adult body mass index, and cardiometabolic disease risk. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 6 February 2025. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it