Research from Professor Fionnuala McAuliffe and team at the UCD Perinatal Research Centre and SVUH, explores the impact of macrosomia on cardiometabolic health in preteens.
Professor McAuliffe, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the UCD School of Medicine and Director of UCD Perinatal Research Centre, says, ‘There is no strong evidence that birthweight over 4kg alone is associated with adverse preteen health.’
Macrosomia (birthweight ≥ 4 kg or ≥ 4.5 kg) is strongly associated with a predisposition to childhood obesity, which in turn is linked with adverse cardiometabolic health. Despite this, there has been a lack of longitudinal investigation on the impact of high birthweight on cardiometabolic outcomes in youth. The preteen period represents an important window of opportunity to further explore this link, to potentially prevent cardiometabolic profiles worsening during puberty.
With support from Children’s Health Ireland and the National Children’s Research Centre, the team were able to conduct the ROLO longitudinal birth cohort study.
The findings show no strong evidence to suggest that macrosomia is associated with adverse preteen cardiometabolic health. Macrosomia alone may not be a long-term cardiometabolic risk factor.
To find out more, read here.
Congratulations to the team.
Research team: Sophie Callanan, Sarah Louise Killeen, Anna Delahunt, Nessa Cooney, Rosemary Cushion, Malachi J. McKenna, Rachel K. Crowley, Patrick J. Twomey, Mark T. Kilbane, Ciara M. McDonnell, Catherine M. Phillips, Declan Cody & Fionnuala M. McAuliffe.