Intergenerational association between birth weight and cardiovascular disease; a population-based study of offspring, their parents, aunts and uncles

Abstract

In this population-based study, we linked different Norwegian health registries (the Medical Birth Registry, the Cause of Death Registry, the Education Registry) and health surveys (County study, Age 40 Program, CONOR) to study the association between offspring birthweight (BW) and CVD risk in parents, aunts/uncles and partners of aunts/uncles. Offspring BW was inversely associated with CVD mortality among parents and among aunts/uncles, with stronger association in mothers compared to fathers and aunts/uncles. Established CVD risk factors contributed substantially to the associations among all relationships, and that smoking was the most influential risk factor. Moreover, low offspring BW was associated with an unfavorable CVD risk factor profile in all family members. For smoking and higher education, the associations were also reported among partners of aunts/uncles. In conclusion, both shared genetic and environmental factors play a role in the transgenerational associations between BW and CVD. Assortative mating and genetic nurturing can also contribute to these associations. Our findings may contribute to early identification of individuals at increased risk of CVD and to develop an effective prevention.