Children Who Start Out Skinny, More at Risk for Heart Disease

Even though the preconception that being skinny means being healthy is very common, new studies show things stand differently, particularly with children.

Children who start out skinny and gain weight later in life are at an increased risk of heart disease, a recent study shows.

David Barker, M.D., Ph.D., internist and professor of medicine at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland examined the medical records of more than 8,000 patients in Finland, to find that the majority of people who later developed heart disease were small newborns, who were thin at the age of two but who gained sufficient weight by the age of 11 so as to catch up with their peers. Having a low mass of muscle in relation to the amount of fat is really dangerous.

Gaining weight before the age of 2 is not supposed to be dangerous, because children can add more muscle. After that, less muscle and much more fat gets stored.

The study included big babies as well, but not obese children. Other studies suggest that children who gain too much weight before the age of two are more likely to become obese later in life. However, Dr. Barker's study suggests catching up later with children of the same age is more dangerous.

For babies who are thin or gain too little weight, breastfeeding is recommendable during the first year, as well as iron supplements for underweight babies. If you think your baby is gaining either too little or too much weight, consult a pediatrician for advice.

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