Neonatal Adipocytokines and Longitudinal Patterns of Childhood Growth.

<bold>Objective: </bold>Adipocytokines are markers of fetal metabolism, but their association with childhood growth is unclear. This study examined associations of neonatal adipocytokines with longitudinal childhood adiposity measures in a prospective cohort of pregnant women and their children.<bold>Methods: </bold>Leptin and adiponectin concentrations at delivery and children's BMI z scores between age 4 weeks and 8 years were measured. Differences in BMI z scores and rates of BMI z score change by leptin (n = 257) and adiponectin (n = 271) terciles were estimated.<bold>Results: </bold>Children in the middle (mean difference: 0.2; 95% CI: -0.1 to 0.4) and highest (0.4; 95% CI: 0.1 to 0.6) leptin terciles had greater BMI z scores than children in the lowest tercile. Associations were null after adjustment for birth weight z score. Children in the lowest adiponectin tercile had greater gains in BMI z score (change per year: 0.10; 95% CI: 0.08 to 0.13) than children in the middle (0.07; 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.09) and highest terciles (0.04; 95% CI: -0.01 to 0.05) (adiponectin × age interaction P < 0.001).<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Lower adiponectin levels were associated with increased rates of BMI gains in the first 8 years of life. Though leptin was positively associated with BMI, this association may be confounded by birth weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]