The longitudinal effects of neonatal anthropometry on attention problems in males and females
Abstract Background The longitudinal impact of fetal growth on attention problems in males and females is unclear. This study aims to evaluate the impact of fetal growth assessed by neonatal anthropometry throughout childhood and adolescence in males and females separately. Methods We compared neona...
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Wiley
2025-06-01
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| Series: | JCPP Advances |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.12256 |
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| author | Lars Meinertz Byg Carol Wang Jonathan J. Hirst Roger Smith Craig Pennell |
| author_facet | Lars Meinertz Byg Carol Wang Jonathan J. Hirst Roger Smith Craig Pennell |
| author_sort | Lars Meinertz Byg |
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| description | Abstract Background The longitudinal impact of fetal growth on attention problems in males and females is unclear. This study aims to evaluate the impact of fetal growth assessed by neonatal anthropometry throughout childhood and adolescence in males and females separately. Methods We compared neonatal anthropometry (birth weight (BW), head circumference (HC), proportion of optimal birthweight (POBW)) and asymmetry (head‐to‐abdominal circumference ratio (HC/AC) and ponderal index (PI)) at birth with parental assessment of the child behavior checklist attention‐problem syndrome (CBCL‐AP) raw score measured at ages five, eight, 10, 14 and 17. We used univariable and multivariable linear mixed‐effects modeling. Sensitivity analyses included excluding pre‐term births, teacher ratings and treating the CBCL‐AP as an ordinal variable. Results In males, a 1‐SD lower BW, increased CBCL‐AP by 0.234 (95%CI [−0.422, −0.0497]). In males, a 1‐SD lower HC increased CBCL‐AP by 0.316 (95%CI [0.495, 0.133]). In males, there was a U‐shaped relationship between HC/AC and CBCL‐AP throughout childhood and adolescence; a curvilinear relationship was observed between POBW and CBCL‐AP. In females, a 1 SD lower HC increased CBCL‐AP 0.424 (95%CI [0.726, 0.133]), but every increased year of age reduced the effect by 0.027 (95% CI: 0.006–0.05). In females, there was no clear relationship between BW, POBW or HC/AC and CBCL‐AP. In males and females, PI was not significantly associated with CBCL‐AP. The exclusion of pre‐term births and analysis of teacher‐rated attention problems was consistent with the primary results. Conclusions Using a longitudinal design, our study suggests a male vulnerability to attention problems throughout childhood and adolescence from neonatal anthropometry. The relationships in females appear to be limited to childhood. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2692-9384 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| series | JCPP Advances |
| spelling | doaj-art-fd06a22ac43c403f8d6a8fd4f2e2df3e2025-08-20T03:25:47ZengWileyJCPP Advances2692-93842025-06-0152n/an/a10.1002/jcv2.12256The longitudinal effects of neonatal anthropometry on attention problems in males and femalesLars Meinertz Byg0Carol Wang1Jonathan J. Hirst2Roger Smith3Craig Pennell4School of Medicine and Public Health University of Newcastle Newcastle NSW AustraliaSchool of Medicine and Public Health University of Newcastle Newcastle NSW AustraliaMothers and Babies Research Centre Hunter Medical Research Institute Newcastle NSW AustraliaMothers and Babies Research Centre Hunter Medical Research Institute Newcastle NSW AustraliaSchool of Medicine and Public Health University of Newcastle Newcastle NSW AustraliaAbstract Background The longitudinal impact of fetal growth on attention problems in males and females is unclear. This study aims to evaluate the impact of fetal growth assessed by neonatal anthropometry throughout childhood and adolescence in males and females separately. Methods We compared neonatal anthropometry (birth weight (BW), head circumference (HC), proportion of optimal birthweight (POBW)) and asymmetry (head‐to‐abdominal circumference ratio (HC/AC) and ponderal index (PI)) at birth with parental assessment of the child behavior checklist attention‐problem syndrome (CBCL‐AP) raw score measured at ages five, eight, 10, 14 and 17. We used univariable and multivariable linear mixed‐effects modeling. Sensitivity analyses included excluding pre‐term births, teacher ratings and treating the CBCL‐AP as an ordinal variable. Results In males, a 1‐SD lower BW, increased CBCL‐AP by 0.234 (95%CI [−0.422, −0.0497]). In males, a 1‐SD lower HC increased CBCL‐AP by 0.316 (95%CI [0.495, 0.133]). In males, there was a U‐shaped relationship between HC/AC and CBCL‐AP throughout childhood and adolescence; a curvilinear relationship was observed between POBW and CBCL‐AP. In females, a 1 SD lower HC increased CBCL‐AP 0.424 (95%CI [0.726, 0.133]), but every increased year of age reduced the effect by 0.027 (95% CI: 0.006–0.05). In females, there was no clear relationship between BW, POBW or HC/AC and CBCL‐AP. In males and females, PI was not significantly associated with CBCL‐AP. The exclusion of pre‐term births and analysis of teacher‐rated attention problems was consistent with the primary results. Conclusions Using a longitudinal design, our study suggests a male vulnerability to attention problems throughout childhood and adolescence from neonatal anthropometry. The relationships in females appear to be limited to childhood.https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.12256attentionbirth weightchildhood behavior checklistdevelopmental origins of health and diseasehead circumferencelongitudinal cohort |
| spellingShingle | Lars Meinertz Byg Carol Wang Jonathan J. Hirst Roger Smith Craig Pennell The longitudinal effects of neonatal anthropometry on attention problems in males and females JCPP Advances attention birth weight childhood behavior checklist developmental origins of health and disease head circumference longitudinal cohort |
| title | The longitudinal effects of neonatal anthropometry on attention problems in males and females |
| title_full | The longitudinal effects of neonatal anthropometry on attention problems in males and females |
| title_fullStr | The longitudinal effects of neonatal anthropometry on attention problems in males and females |
| title_full_unstemmed | The longitudinal effects of neonatal anthropometry on attention problems in males and females |
| title_short | The longitudinal effects of neonatal anthropometry on attention problems in males and females |
| title_sort | longitudinal effects of neonatal anthropometry on attention problems in males and females |
| topic | attention birth weight childhood behavior checklist developmental origins of health and disease head circumference longitudinal cohort |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.12256 |
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