Fetal growth and blood pressure in a Danish population aged 31-51 years

During the past decade, studies have shown an inverse association between b irth weight and blood pressure and risk of coronary heart disease in adult Life. From old public archives we were able to trace the birth records of 5 45 out of 905 persons (60.2%) aged 31-51 years who participated in the Ebel toft Health Promotion Project in Denmark. We examined the associations betw een birth weight, length at birth, Ponderal Index and systolic and diastoli c blood pressure. No associations were found for women. For men, the mean s ystolic blood pressure fell from 131.1 mmHg with a birth weight of less tha n 3300 g to 129.6 mmHg with a birth weight of more than 4000 g, and for dia stolic blood pressure 81.6 mmHg to 80.3 mmHg, respectively. For men, the me an systolic blood pressure fell from 135.7 mm Hg with a birth length of 30- 51 cm to 131.6 with a birth length of 55-62 cm, and for diastolic blood pre ssure 83.0 mmHg to 78.8 mmHg, respectively. The associations may reflect or gan programming in fetal life.