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Early infant weight gain increased NAFLD risk in adulthood
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An accelerated rate of weight gain in the first 3 months of life increased the risk for developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD, in adulthood. However, infants born small for gestational age did not have an increased risk for developing the disease, according to data.
“We also found that subjects with rapid catch-up in weight for length have a significantly higher [fatty liver index] in early adulthood than subjects with slow catch-up in weight, also after adjustment for birth weight,” researchers wrote.
The study consisted of 268 adults aged 18 to 24 years, recruited from hospitals in the Netherlands, where 80 were identified as being small for gestational age.
When a fatty liver index (FLI) score was assigned to patients, higher weight gain for length in the first 3 months of life was associated with a greater risk for a higher FLI score in early adulthood (P=.016) vs. those of low birth weight, according to data.
Moreover, there were no significant associations with gamma-glutamyltransferase, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase.
Intermediate or high FLI scores were observed in patients with rapid catch-up in weight for length (27.8%) vs. patients with a slow catch-up in weight for length (5.3%), researchers wrote.
“Long-term prospective studies are warranted to study the effect of early gain in weight for length on more specific markers of NAFLD, and the role of infant feeding,” researchers wrote.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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