IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i19p10265-d646629.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Identifying Prenatal and Postnatal Determinants of Infant Growth: A Structural Equation Modelling Based Cohort Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Kelly Morgan

    (School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4YS, UK)

  • Shang-Ming Zhou

    (Centre for Health Technology, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK)

  • Rebecca Hill

    (WHO Collaborating Centre on Investment for Health and Well-Being, Public Health Wales, Cardiff CF10 4BZ, UK)

  • Ronan A. Lyons

    (Health Data Research UK, Institute of Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK)

  • Shantini Paranjothy

    (School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK)

  • Sinead T. Brophy

    (Health Data Research UK, Institute of Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK)

Abstract

Background: The growth and maturation of infants reflect their overall health and nutritional status. The purpose of this study is to examine the associations of prenatal and early postnatal factors with infant growth (IG). Methods: A data-driven model was constructed by structural equation modelling to examine the relationships between pre- and early postnatal environmental factors and IG at age 12 months. The IG was a latent variable created from infant weight and waist circumference. Data were obtained on 274 mother–child pairs during pregnancy and the postnatal periods. Results: Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI emerged as an important predictor of IG with both direct and indirect (mediated through infant birth weight) effects. Infants who gained more weight from birth to 6 months and consumed starchy foods daily at age 12 months, were more likely to be larger by age 12 months. Infant physical activity (PA) levels also emerged as a determinant. The constructed model provided a reasonable fit ( χ 2 (11) = 21.5, p < 0.05; RMSEA = 0.07; CFI = 0.94; SRMR = 0.05) to the data with significant pathways for all examined variables. Conclusion: Promoting healthy weight amongst women of child bearing age is important in preventing childhood obesity, and increasing daily infant PA is as important as a healthy infant diet.

Suggested Citation

  • Kelly Morgan & Shang-Ming Zhou & Rebecca Hill & Ronan A. Lyons & Shantini Paranjothy & Sinead T. Brophy, 2021. "Identifying Prenatal and Postnatal Determinants of Infant Growth: A Structural Equation Modelling Based Cohort Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-13, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:19:p:10265-:d:646629
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/19/10265/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/19/10265/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mary Kay Fox & Susan Pac & Barbara Devaney & Linda Jankowski, "undated". "Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study: What Foods are Infants and Toddlers Eating?," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 58135004771244b68971cfb96, Mathematica Policy Research.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Katherine Kaufer Christoffel & Xiaobin Wang & Helen J. Binns, 2012. "Early Origins of Child Obesity: Bridging Disciplines and Phases of Development - September 30–October 1, 2010," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-36, April.
    2. Jane A Scott & Georgina Gee & Gemma Devenish & Diep Ha & Loc Do, 2019. "Determinants and Sources of Iron Intakes of Australian Toddlers: Findings from the SMILE Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-15, January.
    3. Richard Ball & Kerith Duncanson & Lee Ashton & Andrew Bailey & Tracy L. Burrows & Gail Whiteford & Maria Henström & Rachel Gerathy & Alison Walton & Jennifer Wehlow & Clare E. Collins, 2021. "Engaging New Parents in the Development of a Peer Nutrition Education Model Using Participatory Action Research," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-15, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:19:p:10265-:d:646629. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.