Extremes of Birth Weight Associated with Adult Obesity

Researchers at the Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, Nashville, Tennessee, have found that both low and high birth weights appear to increase the chances of being obese in adulthood. Consequently extremes of birth weight may influence the risk of cancer.

Researchers used data from the population-based Collaborative Breast Cancer Study to examine the association between birth weight and adult weight. Data from control subjects was also analysed. Control subjects included women between the ages of 50 and 79 for whom birth weight, adult height and adult weight were documented during structured telephone interviews conducted from 1992 to 1995.

Women in the highest birth weight category were nearly twice as likely to become obese as adults compared to women weighing 2.5 to less than 3.2kg at birth. Women in the lowest birth weight category also had a 1.67 increase risk of adult obesity.

Researchers concluded that their findings supported the hypothesis that fetal experience may influence adult obesity with potential consequences for risk of several major cancers.

(Source: International Journal of Cancer 2003; 103:789-791)