Associations of fat and fat-free mass at birth and accretion from 0 to 5 years with cognitive function at later childhood: the Ethiopian infant anthropometry and body composition birth cohort

Rahma Ali Abagero*, Beakal Zinab Tefera, Bikila Soboka Megersa, Daniel Yilma, Tsinuel Girma, Bitiya Admassu, Suzanne Filteau, Henrik Friis, Jonathan C K Wells, Akanksha A Marphatia, Mette Frahm Olsen, Rasmus Wibaek, Mubarek Abera

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

Early childhood growth is associated with cognitive function. However, the independent associations of fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) with cognitive function are not well understood. We investigated associations of FM and FFM at birth and 0-5 years accretion with cognitive function at 10 years. Healthy-term newborns were enrolled in this cohort. FM and FFM were measured at birth, 15, 25, 35, 45 and 6 months and 4 and 5 years. Cognitive function was assessed using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) at 10 years. FM and FFM accretions were computed using statistically independent conditional accretion from 0 to 3 months, 3 to 6 months, 6 months to 4 years and 4 to 5 years. Multiple linear regression was used to assess associations. At the 10-year follow-up, we assessed 318 children with a mean (sd) age of 98 (10) years. A 1 sd higher birth FFM was associated with a 014 sd (95 % CI 001, 028) higher PPVT at 10 years. FFM accretion from 0 to 3 and 3 to 6 months was associated with PPVT at 10 years: beta = 05 sd (95 % CI 008, 093) and beta = -048 sd (95 % CI -090, -007, respectively. FFM accretion after 6 months showed no association with PPVT. Neither FM at birth nor 0-5 years accretion showed an association with PPVT. Overall, birth FFM, but not FM, was associated with cognitive function at 10 years, while the association of FFM accretion and cognitive function varied across distinct developmental stages in infancy. The mechanisms underlying this varying association between body composition and cognitive function need further investigation.
Original languageEnglish
JournalBritish Journal of Nutrition
Volume132
Issue number12
Pages (from-to)1621-1628
ISSN0007-1145
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024

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