TY - JOUR
T1 - Caesarean delivery is associated with childhood general obesity but not abdominal obesity in Iranian elementary school children
AU - Salehi-Abargouei, Amin
AU - Shiranian, Afshin
AU - Ehsani, Simin
AU - Surkan, Pamela J.
AU - Esmaillzadeh, Ahmad
PY - 2014/9
Y1 - 2014/9
N2 - Aim This study examined the association between Caesarean delivery and general and abdominal obesity among children. Methods In a cross-sectional study, 635 children aged from 6 to 12 years of age (476 girls and 159 boys) were randomly selected from Isfahan elementary schools. Weight, height and waist circumference were measured. General obesity and abdominal obesity were defined based on World Health Organization growth charts and Iranian national cut-off points, respectively. Parents were asked about delivery type and other factors potentially related to childhood obesity using a self-administered questionnaire. The association between delivery type and obesity was examined using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. Results The overall prevalence of general and central obesity was 17.6% and 17.1%, respectively, and Caesarean delivery was significantly associated with general obesity after controlling for potential confounders (OR: 2.46; 95% CI: 1.30-4.63, p = 0.005). We observed a significant association between Caesarean delivery and abdominal obesity in crude analyses (OR: 1.66; 1.02-2.69, p = 0.04), but this disappeared after adjusting for covariates (OR: 1.96; 0.82-4.69, p = 0.13). Conclusion Our results suggest that Caesarean delivery is adversely associated with general childhood obesity, but not abdominal obesity. This provides support for recommending vaginal births, unless contraindicated. Further research in large populations is required to confirm these findings.
AB - Aim This study examined the association between Caesarean delivery and general and abdominal obesity among children. Methods In a cross-sectional study, 635 children aged from 6 to 12 years of age (476 girls and 159 boys) were randomly selected from Isfahan elementary schools. Weight, height and waist circumference were measured. General obesity and abdominal obesity were defined based on World Health Organization growth charts and Iranian national cut-off points, respectively. Parents were asked about delivery type and other factors potentially related to childhood obesity using a self-administered questionnaire. The association between delivery type and obesity was examined using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. Results The overall prevalence of general and central obesity was 17.6% and 17.1%, respectively, and Caesarean delivery was significantly associated with general obesity after controlling for potential confounders (OR: 2.46; 95% CI: 1.30-4.63, p = 0.005). We observed a significant association between Caesarean delivery and abdominal obesity in crude analyses (OR: 1.66; 1.02-2.69, p = 0.04), but this disappeared after adjusting for covariates (OR: 1.96; 0.82-4.69, p = 0.13). Conclusion Our results suggest that Caesarean delivery is adversely associated with general childhood obesity, but not abdominal obesity. This provides support for recommending vaginal births, unless contraindicated. Further research in large populations is required to confirm these findings.
KW - Abdominal obesity
KW - Anthropometry
KW - Caesarean delivery
KW - Obesity
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U2 - 10.1111/apa.12711
DO - 10.1111/apa.12711
M3 - Article
C2 - 24903542
AN - SCOPUS:84906709087
SN - 0803-5253
VL - 103
SP - e383-e387
JO - Acta Paediatrica, International Journal of Paediatrics
JF - Acta Paediatrica, International Journal of Paediatrics
IS - 9
ER -