LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT AND SERUM-LIPID CONCENTRATIONS AT AGE 7-11 YEARS IN A BIRACIAL SAMPLE

The relation between birth weight and serum lipid concentrations al ag e 7 through 11 years was examined in a sample of 1,411 black children and white children in Washington Parish, Louisiana. Two data sets of t he Bogalusa Heart Study were merged: 1) newborn cohort participants (n = 225) initially examined at birth, 1973-1974, and reexamined in 1984 -1985 at age 9 through 11 years; and 2) subjects examined at ages 7 th rough 11 years in 1987-1988 (n = 1,186) whose birth weight was collect ed from birth certificates in 1991. The prevalence ratios for being in the race-, sex-, and age-specific upper decile of serum lipid concent rations in children born with low birth weight (< 2,500 g) versus thos e with birth weight greater than or equal to 2,500 g were calculated p er race-sex group, Among white boys with low birth weight, higher than expected percentages of subjects were in the highest decile group of triglyceride concentrations (0.01 < p < 0.05), The prevalence ratio wa s 2.42 (95% confidence interval 1.19-4.91). When premature infants wer e excluded, only for white girls was a greater than expected percentag e of subjects with low birth weight found to be in the highest decile group of triglyceride concentrations. The corresponding prevalence rat io for white girls was 3.23 (95% confidence interval 1.16-9.00). In an alyses that either included or excluded premature infants, prevalence ratios for triglyceride concentrations in black boys and black girls a nd for the low density lipoprotein cholesterol/high density lipoprotei n cholesterol ratio, total cholesterol concentration, and very low den sity lipoprotein cholesterol concentration in all race-sex groups were not significantly different from one, To our knowledge, this is the f irst study finding associations between low birth weight and elevated triglyceride concentrations in later childhood. A follow-up study amon g adults is recommended.