Early growth spurts ‘could cause later obesity’

Growth spurts in early childhood could permanently affect one of the body’s functions that is thought to be linked to obesity, a new study claims.

Researchers from the University of Glasgow found that early growth spurts can affect an individual’s rate of metabolism.

Writing in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, they say that such spurts can cause a metabolic rate in adults 20 per cent faster than if the individual had grown more steadily.

Their report is said to be the first to suggest that early growth patterns could cause long term differences in metabolic rate.

The researchers compared the metabolic rates of Zebra finches who had been fed a regular protein diet with finches who had been switched from a low to high protein diet halfway through their period of growth.

Professor Neil Metcalfe said the results suggest that the improvement in diet early in life caused a change in metabolism as well as short-lived spurt in growth.

“The metabolic difference might be produced by a change in the size or functioning of key organs in the body, which would have long-term consequences,” he added.

“Metabolism has long been believed to affect the likelihood of obesity in humans. It is now becoming increasingly clear that our risk of becoming obese or getting various metabolic or cardiovascular diseases when we are adults is linked to our earliest years.”