Separated at Girth: US Twin Estimates of the Effects of Birth Weight

2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather Royer
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Nutrient Intake ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Nutrient Deprivation ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Fetal Origins ◽  
Chronic Disease Risk ◽  
Fetal Origins Hypothesis ◽  
Birth Records ◽  
Birth Weight Distribution

The fetal origins hypothesis asserts that nutrient deprivation in utero can raise chronic disease risk. Within economics, this hypothesis has gained acceptance as a leading explanation for the correlations between birth weight, a proxy for fetal nutrient intake, and adult outcomes. Exploiting birth-weight differences between twins using (a) a newly-created dataset of twins from 1960–1982 California birth records and (b) the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Birth Cohort, I find birth weight is related to educational attainment, later pregnancy complications, and the birth weight of the next generation. These effects are generally small. However, the protective effects of birth weight vary across the birth-weight distribution. (JEL: I12, I21, J13)

Developmental programming of cardiovascular function: a translational perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 134 (22) ◽  
pp. 3023-3046
Author(s):  
Stephane L. Bourque ◽  
Sandra T. Davidge
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Cardiovascular Function ◽  
Developmental Programming ◽  
Preclinical Research ◽  
Fetal Origins ◽  
Chronic Disease Risk ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
Preclinical Work

Abstract The developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) is a concept linking pre- and early postnatal exposures to environmental influences with long-term health outcomes and susceptibility to disease. It has provided a new perspective on the etiology and evolution of chronic disease risk, and as such is a classic example of a paradigm shift. What first emerged as the ‘fetal origins of disease’, the evolution of the DOHaD conceptual framework is a storied one in which preclinical studies played an important role. With its potential clinical applications of DOHaD, there is increasing desire to leverage this growing body of preclinical work to improve health outcomes in populations all over the world. In this review, we provide a perspective on the values and limitations of preclinical research, and the challenges that impede its translation. The review focuses largely on the developmental programming of cardiovascular function and begins with a brief discussion on the emergence of the ‘Barker hypothesis’, and its subsequent evolution into the more-encompassing DOHaD framework. We then discuss some fundamental pathophysiological processes by which developmental programming may occur, and attempt to define these as ‘instigator’ and ‘effector’ mechanisms, according to their role in early adversity. We conclude with a brief discussion of some notable challenges that hinder the translation of this preclinical work.

scholarly journals Birth weight and risk of asthma in 3-9-year-old twins: exploring the fetal origins hypothesis

Thorax ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 146-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Kindlund ◽  
S. F. Thomsen ◽  
L. G. Stensballe ◽  
A. Skytthe ◽  
K. O. Kyvik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Fetal Origins ◽  
Fetal Origins Hypothesis

scholarly journals Potential Bias Regarding Birth Weight in Historical and Contemporary Twin Data Bases

Twin Research ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 332-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheda Sadrzadeh ◽  
Susan A. Treloar ◽  
G. Caroline M. van Baal ◽  
Cornelis B. Lambalk
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Negative Selection ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Fetal Origins ◽  
Fetal Origins Hypothesis ◽  
Registration Data ◽  
Twin Registry ◽  
Historical Databases ◽  
Mz Twins ◽  
Selection Of

AbstractIn this study we examine the hypothesis that monozygotic (MZ) twins in historical databases are less discordant for birth weight due to negative selection of severely discordant MZ twins. Furthermore, we test the hypothesis that MZ twins are less discordant for birth weight when comparing a volunteer based twin registry with a population based twin registry, due to selective registration. Data were available on 3927 twin pairs from the volunteer Australian Twin Registry born before 1964, 3059 volunteer twin pairs from the Netherlands Twin Register born 1987–1989 and 454 Belgian twin pairs from The East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey born 1987–1989. Intrapair relative birth weight differences (RBWD) were computed for MZ and dizygotic (DZ) twins from each twin registry. Comparing birth weight differences between MZ and DZ twins provides support for the hypothesis that MZ twins are subject to a negative selection in historical databases. Furthermore, Australian MZ twins have a lower RBWD compared to Dutch MZ twins when corrected for the RBWD of Australian and Dutch DZ twins, indicating circumstances which only affect MZ twins. Our hypothesis that MZ twins are less discordant for birth weight in a volunteer based twin registry compared to a population based twin registry had to be rejected. We suggest that investigators using historical databases to test the fetal origins hypothesis should be aware of this increased likelihood of selective exclusion of individuals with extreme morphometric parameters at time of birth.

scholarly journals Does maternal nutrition in pregnancy and birth weight influence levels of CHD risk factors in adult life?

2004 ◽  
Vol 91 (3) ◽  
pp. 459-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel R. Huxley ◽  
H. Andrew W. Neil
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Birth Weight ◽  
Maternal Nutrition ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Adult Life ◽  
Nutritional Deficiencies ◽  
Fetal Origins ◽  
Chd Risk ◽  
Chd Risk Factors ◽  
In Pregnancy

The fetal-origins hypothesis suggests that maternal and fetal nutrition can have a profound and sustained impact on the health of the offspring in adult life. Although there is abundant literature reporting on the associations between birth weight and disease risk factors, only a handful of studies have been able to examine the relationship between maternal nutrition in pregnancy with the health of offspring in adult life directly. Between 1942 and 1944, nearly 400 pregnant women were recruited into a dietary study to determine whether the wartime dietary rations were sufficient to prevent nutritional deficiencies. Detailed biochemical and clinical assessments were conducted for each of the women, who were followed-up until after delivery. More than 50 years later, approximately one-quarter of the adult offspring were recruited into a study to explore the possible impact of maternal nutrition in pregnancy on CHD risk factors, including glucose tolerance, blood pressure and components of the lipid profile. Results from the present study provide no evidence to support the hypothesis that birth weight or maternal nutrition in pregnancy are associated with CHD risk factors in adult life.

Physician Advice to Reduce Chronic Disease Risk Factors

1994 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 367-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Friedman ◽  
Ross C. Brownson ◽  
Dan E. Peterson ◽  
Joan C. Wilkerson
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Chronic Disease Risk ◽  
Physician Advice
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document