Influence of socioeconomic conditions on growth in infancy: the 1921 Aberdeen birth cohort
A D G Baxter-Jonesa, A H Cardyb, P J Helmsa, D O Phillipsb, W C S Smithb
a Department
of Child Health, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25
2ZD, UK, b Department of Public Health, University of
Aberdeen
Correspondence to: Dr Baxter-Jones. email: baxter.jones{at}abdn.ac.uk
Accepted 9 March 1999
OBJECTIVES
To identify
environmental influences on infant growth using data from a birth
cohort established in 1921.
DESIGNA longitudinal
cohort study.
SETTINGAberdeen
1921-22.
SUBJECTSFive hundred
and sixteen individuals (263 boys and 253 girls) born in Aberdeen
during 1921. Health visitor assessments ranged from two to 40 (47%
received at least 10 visits). No records were available for infants who
died. Individuals were grouped as those who did not breast feed, those
who breast fed initially but not at 6 months, and those who were
continuing to breast feed at 6 months.
MAIN OUTCOME
MEASURERate of weight gain over the 1st year of
life. A random effects model was used to identify environmental factors
and conditions contributing to rate of weight gain in the 1st year of life.
RESULTSBreast feeding
rates were about 80% and 50% at 10 days and 6 months, respectively.
Breast fed infants were significantly heavier than bottle fed infants
at 28 days but this difference disappeared by 12 months. Significant
negative effects on rate of weight gain, independent of initial body
weight, were found for overcrowding in family homes and maternal
parity, whereas social class had no effect.
CONCLUSIONStudies
based on historical cohorts that have controlled socioeconomic
variables only in terms of social class (derived from parental
occupation) may have been subject to residual confounding. Growth in
the 1st year of life is likely to reflect a number of environmental
influences, some of which may continue to have effects throughout early
life and beyond.
Keywords: growth; historical cohort; longitudinal study; breast feeding; Barker hypothesis
© 1999 by Archives of Disease in Childhood
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