High birthweight was not associated with altered body composition or impaired glucose tolerance in adulthood.

AIM: To investigate whether a high birthweight was associated with an increased proportion of body fat or with impaired glucose tolerance in adulthood.

METHODS: Our cohort comprised 27 subjects with birthweights of 4500 g or more, and 27 controls with birthweights within ±1 standard deviation scores, born at Uppsala University Hospital 1975-1979. The subjects were 34-40 years old at the time of study. Anthropometric data was collected, and data on body composition was obtained by air plethysmography and bioimpedance and was estimated with a three-compartment model. Indirect calorimetry, blood sampling for fasting insulin and glucose as well as a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test were also performed. Insulin sensitivity was assessed using homoeostasis model assessment 2 and Matsuda index.

RESULTS: There were no differences in body mass index, body composition or insulin sensitivity between subjects with a high birthweight and controls.

CONCLUSION: In this cohort of adult subjects, although limited in size, those born with a moderately high birthweight did not differ from those with birthweights within ±1 standard deviation scores, regarding body composition or glucose tolerance.