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IJE Advance Access published online on March 3, 2005
International Journal of Epidemiology, doi:10.1093/ije/dyi046
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IJE © International Epidemiological Association 2005; all rights reserved.
Accepted January 25, 2005

Original paper

Are early life factors responsible for international differences in adult blood pressure? An ecological study

Christopher G. Owen 1*, Peter H. Whincup 1, and Derek G. Cook 1

1 Department of Community Health Sciences, St George's Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 ORE, UK

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Christopher G. Owen, E-mail: c.owen{at}sghms.ac.uk


  Abstract

Background Although low birthweight has been related to higher mean blood pressure in individuals, there have been very few studies on the contribution of the ‘fetal origins hypothesis’ to international variations in mean blood pressure.

Methods Standardized data on mean blood pressure levels in adults aged 20-29 years (available from the INTERSALT study countries) were related to data on mean birthweight and infant mortality rates (IMRs) ~25 years earlier (available from the World Health Organization and the United Nations statistics for 24 of these countries).

Results Population mean systolic pressure was inversely correlated with IMR (r = -0.66, P < 0.001) and positively correlated with mean birthweight (r = 0.36, P = 0.108). These correlations were little affected by adjustment either for current body mass index or for current sodium, potassium, and alcohol intake.

Conclusions The directions of these associations suggest that low mean birthweight and high infant mortality are not important determinants of high population mean adult blood pressure levels.

Keywords: Blood pressure; birthweight; infant mortality.
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