Childhood growth patterns and cardiovascular autonomic modulation in midlife: Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES To test the hypothesis that age and body mass index (BMI) at BMI peak during infancy and at BMI rebound in childhood are related to cardiovascular autonomic modulation in adulthood. METHODS At the age of 46 years, a sample (n = 5861) of the participants of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 took part in follow-up examinations. Heart rate variability (HRV), baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and low-frequency oscillations of systolic blood pressure (LFSBP) were measured during sympathetic stimulus by standing. BMI at various ages was calculated from frequent anthropometric measurements collected from child welfare clinical records. BRS and LFSBP were available for 1243 participants with BMI peak data and 1524 participants with BMI rebound data, and HRV for 2137 participants with BMI peak data and 2688 participants with BMI rebound data. RESULTS Age at BMI rebound had a significant inverse association with LFSBP (beta = -0.071, p = 0.006) after all adjustments (p