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The relationship of birthweight, muscle size at birth and post-natal growth to grip strength in 9-year-old Indian children: findings from the Mysore Parthenon study

The relationship of birthweight, muscle size at birth and post-natal growth to grip strength in 9-year-old Indian children: findings from the Mysore Parthenon study
The relationship of birthweight, muscle size at birth and post-natal growth to grip strength in 9-year-old Indian children: findings from the Mysore Parthenon study
Foetal development may permanently affect muscle function. Indian newborns have a low mean birthweight, predominantly due to low lean tissue and muscle mass. We aimed to examine the relationship of birthweight, and arm muscle area (AMA) at birth and post-natal growth to handgrip strength in Indian children. Grip strength was measured in 574 children aged 9 years, who had detailed anthropometry at birth and every 6–12 months post-natally. Mean (standard deviation (s.d.)) birthweight was 2863 (446) g. At 9 years, the children were short (mean height s.d. ?0.6) and light (mean weight s.d. ?1.1) compared with the World Health Organization growth reference. Mean (s.d.) grip strength was 12.7 (2.2) kg (boys) and 11.0 (2.0) kg (girls). Weight, length and AMA at birth, but not skinfold measurements at birth, were positively related to 9-year grip strength (? = 0.40 kg/s.d. increase in birthweight, P < 0.001; and ? = 0.41 kg/s.d. increase in AMA, P < 0.001). Grip strength was positively related to 9-year height, body mass index and AMA and to gains in these measurements from birth to 2 years, 2–5 years and 5–9 years (P < 0.001 for all). The associations between birth size and grip strength were attenuated but remained statistically significant for AMA after adjusting for 9-year size. We conclude that larger overall size and muscle mass at birth are associated with greater muscle strength in childhood, and that this is mediated mainly through greater post-natal size. Poorer muscle development in utero is associated with reduced childhood muscle strength.
arm muscle area, birthweight, children, grip strength
329-337
Barr, J.G.
71a12a69-a26a-4ec4-ac05-2706cb327856
Veena, S.R.
2acd1a9f-ce06-4cd2-bbdb-8f0057308e0e
Kiran, K.N.
5b9dd737-2099-4a8b-89a0-d737f8e0b0a5
Wills, A.K.
a49cf0bc-8fe1-4672-8ff2-da46760d2059
Winder, N.R.
ebcddda5-9258-4b47-ade6-3c08ec756b22
Kehoe, S.
534e5729-632b-4b4f-8401-164d8c20aa26
Fall, C.H.
7171a105-34f5-4131-89d7-1aa639893b18
Krishnaveni, G.V.
e9cc468a-8262-4dde-8eba-e047c68a3dce
Barr, J.G.
71a12a69-a26a-4ec4-ac05-2706cb327856
Veena, S.R.
2acd1a9f-ce06-4cd2-bbdb-8f0057308e0e
Kiran, K.N.
5b9dd737-2099-4a8b-89a0-d737f8e0b0a5
Wills, A.K.
a49cf0bc-8fe1-4672-8ff2-da46760d2059
Winder, N.R.
ebcddda5-9258-4b47-ade6-3c08ec756b22
Kehoe, S.
534e5729-632b-4b4f-8401-164d8c20aa26
Fall, C.H.
7171a105-34f5-4131-89d7-1aa639893b18
Krishnaveni, G.V.
e9cc468a-8262-4dde-8eba-e047c68a3dce

Barr, J.G., Veena, S.R., Kiran, K.N., Wills, A.K., Winder, N.R., Kehoe, S., Fall, C.H. and Krishnaveni, G.V. (2010) The relationship of birthweight, muscle size at birth and post-natal growth to grip strength in 9-year-old Indian children: findings from the Mysore Parthenon study. Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, 1 (5), 329-337. (doi:10.1017/S2040174410000309).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Foetal development may permanently affect muscle function. Indian newborns have a low mean birthweight, predominantly due to low lean tissue and muscle mass. We aimed to examine the relationship of birthweight, and arm muscle area (AMA) at birth and post-natal growth to handgrip strength in Indian children. Grip strength was measured in 574 children aged 9 years, who had detailed anthropometry at birth and every 6–12 months post-natally. Mean (standard deviation (s.d.)) birthweight was 2863 (446) g. At 9 years, the children were short (mean height s.d. ?0.6) and light (mean weight s.d. ?1.1) compared with the World Health Organization growth reference. Mean (s.d.) grip strength was 12.7 (2.2) kg (boys) and 11.0 (2.0) kg (girls). Weight, length and AMA at birth, but not skinfold measurements at birth, were positively related to 9-year grip strength (? = 0.40 kg/s.d. increase in birthweight, P < 0.001; and ? = 0.41 kg/s.d. increase in AMA, P < 0.001). Grip strength was positively related to 9-year height, body mass index and AMA and to gains in these measurements from birth to 2 years, 2–5 years and 5–9 years (P < 0.001 for all). The associations between birth size and grip strength were attenuated but remained statistically significant for AMA after adjusting for 9-year size. We conclude that larger overall size and muscle mass at birth are associated with greater muscle strength in childhood, and that this is mediated mainly through greater post-natal size. Poorer muscle development in utero is associated with reduced childhood muscle strength.

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Published date: October 2010
Keywords: arm muscle area, birthweight, children, grip strength

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Local EPrints ID: 172955
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/172955
PURE UUID: ef975847-0d47-4141-a4bc-fef8a0d47f6f
ORCID for S. Kehoe: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-2584-7999
ORCID for C.H. Fall: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-4402-5552

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Date deposited: 01 Feb 2011 09:49
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:43

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Contributors

Author: J.G. Barr
Author: S.R. Veena
Author: K.N. Kiran
Author: A.K. Wills
Author: N.R. Winder
Author: S. Kehoe ORCID iD
Author: C.H. Fall ORCID iD
Author: G.V. Krishnaveni

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