Prolonged Juvenile States and Delay of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Risk Factors: The Fels Longitudinal Study

• Published in: The Journal of pediatrics Vol. 155; no. 3; pp. S7.e1 - S7.e6
• Main Authors: Sun, Shumei S., Schubert, Christine M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Mosby, Inc 01.09.2009
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age of Onset; Body Fat Distribution; Body Mass Index; Cardiovascular Diseases - epidemiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - physiopathology; Child; Child, Preschool; Comorbidity; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - epidemiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - physiopathology; Fasting - blood; Female; Growth; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Insulin - blood; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Metabolic Syndrome - epidemiology; Metabolic Syndrome - physiopathology; Pediatrics; Puberty, Precocious - epidemiology; Puberty, Precocious - physiopathology; Risk Factors; Triglycerides - blood; United States - epidemiology; Waist Circumference; Young Adult; HDL; FLS; BMI; PHV; Body mass index; High-density lipoprotein; Fels Longitudinal Study; Peak height velocity
• ISSN: 0022-3476; 1097-6833; 1097-6833
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2009.04.050

To ascertain the influence of such a prolonged juvenile state on delaying the onset of the metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes mellitus later in life. We define prolongation of a juvenile state as a retarded tempo of growth, determined by the timing of peak height velocity in each subject and relate the retarded tempo of growth to metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes mellitus later in life by use of serial data of 237 study participants (119 men and 118 women) enrolled in the Fels Longitudinal study. Children who matured early tended to have greater body mass index, waist circumference, and percent of body fat and were more likely to have adverse cardiovascular risk profiles than children who matured late. The differences in these risk factors between early and late maturers were significant for percent body fat, fasting plasma triglycerides, and fasting plasma insulin. The analyses disclosed a clear separation between early and late maturers in the appearance of these risk factors in young adulthood.