Abstract Objective To investigate associations of maternal and cord blood cytokine patterns with newborn size and body composition. Methods This cross-sectional study involved 70 pregnant women and their healthy newborns selected from the “Araraquara Cohort Study”. Newborn anthropometric measurements were recorded at birth. Body composition was evaluated by air displacement plethysmography. Maternal blood samples were collected from pregnant women between 30 and 36 weeks of gestation, and umbilical cord blood samples were collected immediately after placenta discharge. The concentrations of the cytokines were determined in plasma by ELISA. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess associations between maternal and cord blood cytokine concentrations and newborn anthropometry and body composition measurements. Results Maternal plasma TGF-β1 concentration was inversely associated with newborn weight (β= -43.0; p= 0.012), length (β= -0.16, p= 0.028), head circumference (β= -0.13, p= 0.004), ponderal index (β= -0.32, p= 0.011) and fat-free mass (β= -0.05, p= 0.005). However, the association persisted just for head circumference (β= -0.26; p= 0.030) and ponderal index (β= - 0.28; p= 0.028), after adjusting for pre-gestational BMI, gestational weight gain, gestational age, hours after delivery, newborn sex, smoking and alcohol consumption. Conclusions Maternal plasma TGF-β1 concentration may be involved in the regulation of newborn size, mainly head circumference and ponderal index. Further cohort studies are necessary to investigate the role of TGF-β1 in different trimesters of pregnancy and its effect during the early stages of fetal development.

OBJETIVO: Determinar a relação da síndrome metabólica (SM) com o nível socioeconómico, hábitos comportamentais, condições de saúde, antecedentes familiares de morbidades e áreas de residência. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo de corte transversal. A amostra aleatória foi constituída por usuários de duas Unidades Básicas de Saúde da cidade de São Paulo - Jardim Comercial (UBS1) e Jardim Germânia (UBS2) -, totalizando 452. Para o diagnóstico de SM utilizou-se o critério do Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (NCEP-ATP III). Na avaliação antropométrica foram aferidas medidas de peso, estatura, circunferências abdominal e do quadril. Foi utilizado questionário geral para obtenção de dados sociodemográficos, socioeconómicos, antecedentes familiares e pessoais de morbidades, hábitos comportamentais como tabagismo, etilismo e nível de atividade física. Foi estabelecida associação entre as variáveis explicativas de interesse e SM, empregando-se a regressão logística multivariada. RESULTADOS: Na UBS1, o percentual de SM foi de 56,1% e na UBS2, de 34,0%. Houve associação direta e significativa entre SM e idade, sexo feminino, cor, tabagismo, etilismo, nível de atividade física, estresse e antecedentes familiares de doença cardíaca e de diabetes mellitus. A escolaridade apresentou associação inversa: morar no bairro de menor nível socioeconómico aumentou a chance de SM. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados sugerem que as morbidades que compõem a SM são um grave problema de saúde pública nessa população.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between metabolic syndrome (MS) and socioeconomiclevel, life style, health status, family history of morbidity, and residence areas. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional cohort study. The random sample consisted of users of two primary health care units (Unidades Básicas de Saúde - UBSs) in the city of São Paulo - Jardim Comercial (UBS1), and Jardim Germânia (UBS2), a total of 452 subjects. The NCEP ATP IIIcriterion was used to diagnose MS. Weight, height, abdominal and hip circumferences were measured for the anthropometric evaluation. A general questionnaire was used to obtain sociodemographicand socioeconomic data; family history; medical history; behavioral habitssuch as smoking, drinking, and physical activity. Multivariate logistic regression was used to establish the association between explanatory variables of interest and MS. RESULTS: At UBS1, MS percentage was 56.1%; at UBS2, 34.0%. There was a direct and significant association between MS and age, female gender, race, smoking, drinking, physical activity level, stress, and family history of heart disease and diabetes mellitus. Education level showed an inverse association. Subjects living in a lower socioeconomic level neighborhood had a higher MS risk. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the morbidities that compose MS are a serious publichealth problem in that population.