The joint effect between fetal growth and health behaviors on the risk of cardiovascular diseases in young adulthood

Purpose: To investigate the individual and the joint effect of impaired fetal growth and adult health behaviors on the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Methods: A total of 15,618 individuals were included from three sub-cohorts of the Stockholm Public Health Cohort. Data on participants' birthweight and gestational age were retrieved from the Medical Birth Register. Data on the diagnoses of CVDs were extracted from the Swedish National Patient Register and the Cause of Death Register. Data on health behaviors were identified from self-reported questionnaires, and health behavioral profile was defined based on the recommendations of the American Health Association. The associations of fetal growth and health behaviors with the risk of CVDs were analyzed using Cox proportional hazard model. Results: Individuals born small for gestational age (SGA) had a higher risk of CVDs than those born appropriate for gestational age (AGA), and the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) was 1.88 (1.44, 2.47). Participants born SGA and having poor health behavioral profile in adulthood had a higher risk of CVDs than those born AGA and having ideal health behaviors with adjusted HR (95% CI) being 3.58 (1.95, 6.56). Conclusions: Impaired fetal growth was associated with an increased risk of CVDs in adulthood, and the risk was highest in individuals with both impaired fetal growth and poor health behaviors in adulthood.