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Does birthweight predict bone mass in adulthood? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Does birthweight predict bone mass in adulthood? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Does birthweight predict bone mass in adulthood? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Summary: This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the strength and magnitude of the association between birthweight and adult bone mass. Higher birthweight was associated with higher bone mineral content of the spine and hip in adult men and women at ages between 18 and 80 years across a range of settings.

Introduction: The aim of this review was to assess the strength and magnitude of the association between early size and adult bone mass.

Methods: Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that assessed the association between birthweight or weight at 1 year, and bone mineral content (BMC) or bone mineral density (BMD) in adulthood.

Results: Fourteen studies met inclusion criteria. Nine assessed the relationship between birthweight and lumbar spine BMC, most showing that higher birthweight was associated with greater adult BMC. Meta-analysis demonstrated that a 1 kg increase in birthweight was associated with a 1.49 g increase in lumbar spine BMC (95% CI 0.77-2.21). Birthweight was not associated with lumbar spine BMD in 11 studies. In six studies, considering the relationship between birthweight and hip BMC, most found that higher birthweight was associated with greater BMC. Meta-analysis demonstrated that a 1 kg increase in birthweight was associated with a 1.41 g increase in hip BMC (95% CI 0.91-1.91). Seven studies considered the relationship between birthweight and hip BMD and, in most, birthweight was not a significant predictor of hip BMD. Three studies assessing the relationship between weight at 1 year and adult bone mass all reported that higher weight at one was associated with greater BMC of the lumbar spine and hip.

Conclusions: Higher birthweight is associated with greater BMC of the lumbar spine and hip in adulthood. The consistency of these associations, across a range of settings, provides compelling evidence for the intrauterine programming of skeletal development and tracking of skeletal size from infancy to adulthood.
developmental origins, epidemiology, osteoporosis, programming
0937-941X
1323-1334
Baird, J.
f4bf2039-6118-436f-ab69-df8b4d17f824
Kurshid, M.A.
06d5d00e-3ecb-4395-8085-b742096e97eb
Kim, M.
c2e4ad50-0a64-4da9-8335-78531d88e93d
Harvey, N.
ce487fb4-d360-4aac-9d17-9466d6cba145
Dennison, E.
ee647287-edb4-4392-8361-e59fd505b1d1
Cooper, C.
e05f5612-b493-4273-9b71-9e0ce32bdad6
Baird, J.
f4bf2039-6118-436f-ab69-df8b4d17f824
Kurshid, M.A.
06d5d00e-3ecb-4395-8085-b742096e97eb
Kim, M.
c2e4ad50-0a64-4da9-8335-78531d88e93d
Harvey, N.
ce487fb4-d360-4aac-9d17-9466d6cba145
Dennison, E.
ee647287-edb4-4392-8361-e59fd505b1d1
Cooper, C.
e05f5612-b493-4273-9b71-9e0ce32bdad6

Baird, J., Kurshid, M.A., Kim, M., Harvey, N., Dennison, E. and Cooper, C. (2011) Does birthweight predict bone mass in adulthood? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Osteoporosis International, 22 (5), 1323-1334. (doi:10.1007/s00198-010-1344-9). (PMID:20683711)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Summary: This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the strength and magnitude of the association between birthweight and adult bone mass. Higher birthweight was associated with higher bone mineral content of the spine and hip in adult men and women at ages between 18 and 80 years across a range of settings.

Introduction: The aim of this review was to assess the strength and magnitude of the association between early size and adult bone mass.

Methods: Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that assessed the association between birthweight or weight at 1 year, and bone mineral content (BMC) or bone mineral density (BMD) in adulthood.

Results: Fourteen studies met inclusion criteria. Nine assessed the relationship between birthweight and lumbar spine BMC, most showing that higher birthweight was associated with greater adult BMC. Meta-analysis demonstrated that a 1 kg increase in birthweight was associated with a 1.49 g increase in lumbar spine BMC (95% CI 0.77-2.21). Birthweight was not associated with lumbar spine BMD in 11 studies. In six studies, considering the relationship between birthweight and hip BMC, most found that higher birthweight was associated with greater BMC. Meta-analysis demonstrated that a 1 kg increase in birthweight was associated with a 1.41 g increase in hip BMC (95% CI 0.91-1.91). Seven studies considered the relationship between birthweight and hip BMD and, in most, birthweight was not a significant predictor of hip BMD. Three studies assessing the relationship between weight at 1 year and adult bone mass all reported that higher weight at one was associated with greater BMC of the lumbar spine and hip.

Conclusions: Higher birthweight is associated with greater BMC of the lumbar spine and hip in adulthood. The consistency of these associations, across a range of settings, provides compelling evidence for the intrauterine programming of skeletal development and tracking of skeletal size from infancy to adulthood.

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More information

Published date: May 2011
Keywords: developmental origins, epidemiology, osteoporosis, programming
Organisations: Medicine

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 180771
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/180771
ISSN: 0937-941X
PURE UUID: 5d324826-a458-463d-9643-ef6def4714ad
ORCID for J. Baird: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-4039-4361
ORCID for N. Harvey: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-8194-2512
ORCID for E. Dennison: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3048-4961
ORCID for C. Cooper: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-3510-0709

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Date deposited: 12 Apr 2011 09:16
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 02:58

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Contributors

Author: J. Baird ORCID iD
Author: M.A. Kurshid
Author: M. Kim
Author: N. Harvey ORCID iD
Author: E. Dennison ORCID iD
Author: C. Cooper ORCID iD

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