Maternal height and child growth patterns from birth to adulthood

• Authors: OY Addo, Emory University; Aryeh D Stein, Emory University; Caroline Fall, University of Southampton; Denise P. Gigante, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Brazil; Aravinda M. Guntupalli, University of Southampton; Bernardo L. Horta, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Brazil; Christopher W. Kuzawa, Northwestern University; Nanette Lee, University of San Carlos, Philippines; Shane A. Norris, South Africa and Human Sciences Research Council; Poornima Prabhakaran, Public Health Foundation of India; Linda M. Richter, South Africa and Human Sciences Research Council; Harshpal S. Sachdev, Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research; Reynaldo Martorell, Emory University
• Journal Title: Journal of Pediatrics
• Volume: Volume 163, Number 2
• Publisher: Elsevier: 12 months | 2013-08, Pages 549-554.e1
• Type of Work: Article | Post-print: After Peer Review
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.02.002
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Public Health
• Keywords: Maternal height; Child; Conditional Growth; Intergenerational Influences; COHORTS

Abstract

Objective To examine associations between maternal height and child growth during four developmental periods: intrauterine, birth to age 2y, age 2y to mid-childhood, and mid-childhood to adulthood. Study Design Pooled analysis of maternal height and offspring growth using 7630 mother-child pairs from five birth cohorts (Brazil, Guatemala, India, Philippines and South Africa). We used conditional height measures that control for collinearity in height across periods. We estimated associations between maternal height and offspring growth using multivariate regression models adjusted for household income, child sex, birth order and study site. Results Maternal height was associated with birthweight and with both height and conditional height at each age examined. The strongest associations with conditional heights were for adulthood and 2y. A 1 cm increase in maternal height predicted a 0.024 (95%CI: 0.021 - 0.028) SD increase in offspring birthweight, a 0.037 (95%CI: 0.033 – 0.040) SD increase in conditional height at 2 y, a 0.025 (95%CI: 0.021 – 0.029 SD increase in conditional height in mid-childhood, and a 0.044 (95%CI: 0.040-0.048) SD increase in conditional height in adulthood. Short mothers (< 150 cm) were more likely to have a child who was stunted at 2 years (PR=3.20 (95% CI: 2.80–3.60) and as an adult (PR=4.74, (95% CI: 4.13-5.44). There was no evidence of heterogeneity by site or sex. Conclusion Maternal height influences offspring linear growth over the growing period. These influences likely include genetic and non-genetic factors, including nutrition-related intergenerational influences on growth that prevent the attainment of genetic height potential in low and middle income countries.