Abstract P136: Childhood BMI Associated With Low HDL-c Levels in Adolescence in a Chilean Cohort

Background: Global prevalence of childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions. Elevated body mass index (BMI) leads to a cascade of negative health outcomes including hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes, thus increasing risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Some studies have documented an association between early childhood obesity and CVD risk factors. To date, studies have been primarily cross sectional and in European descent populations. Thus, the relationship between childhood obesity and later CVD risk is inadequately understood. To increase our understanding of this complex relationship, this study aims to assess the association between 5-year BMI and HDL-c levels at 17 years in a Chilean longitudinal cohort study. Methods: We used longitudinal data from the Santiago Longitudinal Cohort study. Participants were enrolled as infants between 1991 and 1996. As such, they have experienced Chile’s rapid modernization and dramatic changes in diet, activity, and environment. At 5 years, heigh...