Greater early weight gain and shorter breastfeeding are associated with low adolescent adiponectin levels

SummaryBackground Early life factors can programme future risk for cardiovascular disease. Objectives We explored associations between adolescent adiponectin levels and concomitant metabolic alteration and also looked at the association between early life factors and adolescent adiponectin levels. Methods We studied a longitudinal cohort of low-income to middle-income Chilean adolescents who were enroled in an infancy iron-deficiency anaemia preventive trial and follow-up studies at the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile. In the 577 adolescents who were assessed as part of the 16-year follow-up, we evaluated independent associations between adiponectin levels and metabolic disturbances during adolescence. We also assessed the association between early life factors [short breastfeeding {