Internal medicine

Pathology

Pediatrics

World Wide Web

Developmental psychology

Psychology

Immunology

Allergy

Index (typography)

Longitudinal study

Early childhood

Body mass index

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Medicine

Journal of Microbiology Immunology and Infection

Few studies address the dynamic changes of body mass index (BMI) Z-scores during infancy with breastfeeding and their impact on childhood atopic diseases. A total of 183 children from a birth cohort regularly followed-up for 4 years were enrolled in this study. Time series data of BMI Z-scores from 1 month to 2 years of age was clustered using K-means method in R software. Breastfeeding status during the first 6 months of life was recorded and classified. The total serum and specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels to food and inhalant allergens were measured at age 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 years. Using K-means clustering, the dynamic changes in BMI Z-scores were classified into three clusters (cluster A, increasing, n = 62; cluster B; decreasing, n = 62; cluster C, constant low, n = 59). Despite having no statistical association with atopic diseases, a decreasing trend in infantile BMI Z-scores was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of IgE sensitization at age 1 which increased the risk of rhinitis development at age 4 (P = 0.007). No difference in BMI Z-scores was determined between different breastfeeding patterns. However, exclusive formula feeding ≥6 months was found to be significantly associated with mite sensitization at age 1.5 years which risks asthma development at age 4 (P = 0.001). A decreasing trend of BMI Z-scores during infancy is determined to be inversely associated with IgE and allergen sensitization, which may potentially increase the risk of allergies in early childhood.

Longitudinal changes in body mass index Z-scores during infancy and risk of childhood allergies