Ong et al. In their contemporary, well nourished cohort catch-up growth was predicted by factors relating to intrauterine restraint of fetal growth. Children who showed catch-up growth between birth and age 2 years were fatter and had more central fat distribution at 5 years than other children. The authors concluded that mechanisms signaling and regulating early catch-up growth in the postnatal period may influence associations between small size at birth and risks for disease in adulthood. The authors suggested that genes may be responsible.
Obesity is a major health problem which is clearly influenced by low birth weight.
There is much food for thought in these studies and the public health implications are obvious.