Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Childhood diet and growth in boys in relation to timing of puberty and adult height: the Longitudinal Studies of Child Health and Development

  • Original paper
  • Published:
Cancer Causes & Control Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To begin to explore the possible roles of childhood diet and growth in prostate cancer (PCa) development, we investigated these exposures in relation to two known/suspected PCa risk factors, earlier pubertal timing and greater attained height, in the Longitudinal Studies of Child Health and Development.

Methods

We used biannual/annual height, weight, and dietary history data to investigate childhood diet, body mass index (BMI), birth length, and childhood height in relation to PCa risk factors (age at peak height velocity (APHV), height at age 13, and adult height) for 64 Caucasian American boys.

Results

In adjusted models, childhood fat and animal protein intake was positively associated with height at age 13 and adult height (P < 0.05). A childhood diet high in fat and animal protein and low in vegetable protein was also associated with earlier APHV (P < 0.05), whereas no associations were observed for childhood energy intake or BMI. Birth length and childhood height were positively associated with height at age 13 and adult height, and childhood height was inversely associated with APHV (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that both childhood diet and growth potential/growth contribute to earlier pubertal timing and taller attained height in males, supporting roles of these factors in PCa development.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Siegel RL, Miller KD, Jemal A. Cancer statistics (2018) CA Cancer J Clin 68(1):7–30

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Sutcliffe S, Colditz GA (2013) Prostate cancer: is it time to expand the research focus to early-life exposures? Nat Rev Cancer 13(3):208–518

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Rotkin ID (1977) Studies in the epidemiology of prostatic cancer: expanded sampling. Cancer Treat Rep 61(2):173–180

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Ross R, Bernstein L, Judd H, Hanisch R, Pike M, Henderson B (1986) Serum testosterone levels in healthy young black and white men. J Natl Cancer Inst 76(1):45–48

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Andersson SO, Baron J, Wolk A, Lindgren C, Bergstrom R, Adami HO (1995) Early life risk factors for prostate cancer: a population-based case-control study in Sweden. Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev 4(3):187–192

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Suttie AW, Dinse GE, Nyska A, Moser GJ, Goldsworthy TL Maronpot RR (2005) An investigation of the effects of late-onset dietary restriction on prostate cancer development in the TRAMP mouse. Toxicol Pathol 33(3):386–97

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Suttie A, Nyska A, Haseman JK, Moser GJ, Hackett TR, Goldsworthy TL (2003) A grading scheme for the assessment of proliferative lesions of the mouse prostate in the TRAMP model. Toxicol Pathol 31(1):31–8

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Angelsen A, Falkmer S, Sandvik AK, Waldum HL (1999) Pre- and postnatal testosterone administration induces proliferative epithelial lesions with neuroendocrine differentiation in the dorsal lobe of the rat prostate. Prostate 40(2):65–75

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Hansen JL, McMeekin RR (1974) Unsuspected tumors in aircraft accident fatalities as a guide to evaluation of physical-examination standards. Aerosp Med 45(8):959–962

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Sakr WA, Grignon DJ, Crissman JD, Heilbrun LK, Cassin BJ, Pontes JJ et al (1994) High grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) and prostatic adenocarcinoma between the ages of 20–69: an autopsy study of 249 cases. In Vivo 8(3):439–443

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Elliott GB, Silverberg DS, Dossetor JB, Muir CS (1977) Latent carcinoma of the prostate in a 24-year-old man receiving cyclophosphamide and azathioprine. Can Med Assoc J 116(6):651–652

    CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Davis BE, Weigel JW (1990) Adenocarcinoma of the prostate discovered in 2 young patients following total prostatovesiculectomy for refractory prostatitis. J Urol 144(3):744–745

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Gu FL, Xia TL, Kong XT (1994) Preliminary study of the frequency of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatic cancer in China. Urology 44(5):688–691

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Sanchez-Chapado M, Olmedilla G, Cabeza M, Donat E, Ruiz A (2003) Prevalence of prostate cancer and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia in Caucasian Mediterranean males: an autopsy study. Prostate 54(3):238–247

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Yin M, Bastacky S, Chandran U, Becich MJ, Dhir R (2008) Prevalence of incidental prostate cancer in the general population: a study of healthy organ donors. J Urol 179(3):892–895 discussion 5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Jahn JL, Giovannucci EL, Stampfer MJ (2015) The high prevalence of undiagnosed prostate cancer at autopsy: implications for epidemiology and treatment of prostate cancer in the Prostate-specific Antigen-era. Int J Cancer 137(12):2795–2802

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. Howlader N, Noone AM, Krapcho M, Neyman N, Aminou R, Waldron W et al. SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975–2009 (Vintage 2009 Populations). National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2009_pops09/, based on November 2011 SEER data submission, posted to the SEER web site, April 2012

  18. Cheng G, Buyken AE, Shi L, Karaolis-Danckert N, Kroke A, Wudy SA et al (2012) Beyond overweight: nutrition as an important lifestyle factor influencing timing of puberty. Nutr Rev 70(3):133–152

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Cook MB, Gamborg M, Aarestrup J, Sorensen TI, Baker JL (2013) Childhood height and birth weight in relation to future prostate cancer risk: a cohort study based on the Copenhagen school health records register. Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev 22(12):2232–2240

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Aarestrup J, Gamborg M, Cook MB, Baker JL (2015) Childhood height increases the risk of prostate cancer mortality. Eur J Cancer 51(10):1340–1345

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Bonilla C, Lewis SJ, Martin RM, Donovan JL, Hamdy FC, Neal DE et al (2016) Pubertal development and prostate cancer risk: Mendelian randomization study in a population-based cohort. BMC Med 14:66

    Article  PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  22. Zuccolo L, Harris R, Gunnell D, Oliver S, Lane JA, Davis M et al (2008) Height and prostate cancer risk: a large nested case-control study (ProtecT) and meta-analysis. Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev 17(9):2325–2336

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Emerging Risk Factors C (2012) Adult height and the risk of cause-specific death and vascular morbidity in 1 million people: individual participant meta-analysis. Int J Epidemiol 41(5):1419–1433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Gronberg H (2003) Prostate cancer epidemiology. Lancet 361(9360):859–864

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Armstrong B, Doll R (1975) Environmental factors and cancer incidence and mortality in different countries, with special reference to dietary practices. Int J Cancer 15(4):617–631

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Hsing AW, Tsao L, Devesa SS (2000) International trends and patterns of prostate cancer incidence and mortality. Int J Cancer 85(1):60–67

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Chan JM, Gann PH, Giovannucci EL (2005) Role of diet in prostate cancer development and progression. J Clin Oncol 23(32):8152–8160

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. McCullough ML, Giovannucci EL (2004) Diet and cancer prevention. Oncogene 23(38):6349–6364

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Robinson WR, Poole C, Godley PA (2008) Systematic review of prostate cancer’s association with body size in childhood and young adulthood. Cancer Causes Control 19(8):793–803

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Berkey CS, Gardner JD, Frazier AL, Colditz GA (2000) Relation of childhood diet and body size to menarche and adolescent growth in girls. Am J Epidemiol 152(5):446–452

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Stuart HC, Reed RB (1959) Longitudinal studies of child health and development–Series II. Description of project. Pediatrics 24:875–885

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Reed RB, Burke BS (1954) Collection and analysis of dietary intake data. Am J Public Health Nation’s Health 44(8):1015–1026

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Sorensen HT, Sabroe S, Rothman KJ, Gillman M, Steffensen FH, Fischer P et al (1999) Birth weight and length as predictors for adult height. Am J Epidemiol 149(8):726–729

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Tuvemo T, Cnattingius S, Jonsson B (1999) Prediction of male adult stature using anthropometric data at birth: a nationwide population-based study. Pediatr Res 46(5):491–495

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Eide MG, Oyen N, Skjaerven R, Nilsen ST, Bjerkedal T, Tell GS (2005) Size at birth and gestational age as predictors of adult height and weight. Epidemiology 16(2):175–181

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Burke BS, Stevenson SS et al (1949) Nutrition studies during pregnancy; relation of maternal nutrition to condition of infant at birth; study of siblings. J Nutr 38(4):453–467

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Willett W (2013) Nutritional Epidemiology. 3rd eds. Hofman A, Marmot M, Samet J, Savitz DZ (eds) Oxford University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  38. World Health Organization (1991) Energy and protein requirements: report of a joint FAO/WHO/UNU expert consultation

  39. Trumbo P, Schlicker S, Yates AA, Poos M (2005) Dietary reference intakes for energy, carbohydrate, fiber, fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, protein and amino acids. J Am Diet Assoc 102(11):1621–1630

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015) Defining Childhood Obesity

  41. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics (1977) Individual Growth Charts. https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/growthcharts/training/bmiage/page4.html

  42. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics (1977) Individual Growth Charts. http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/charts.htm

  43. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics (2000) Individual Growth Charts. https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/charts.htm

  44. Tanner JM, Whitehouse RH (1976) Clinical longitudinal standards for height, weight, height velocity, weight velocity, and stages of puberty. Arch Dis Child 51(3):170–179

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  45. Kelly A, Winer KK, Kalkwarf H, Oberfield SE, Lappe J, Gilsanz V, Zemel BS (2014) Age-based reference ranges for annual height velocity in US children. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 99(6):2104–2112

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  46. Meyer F, Moisan J, Marcoux D, Bouchard C (1990) Dietary and physical determinants of menarche. Epidemiology 1(5):377–381

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Maclure M, Travis LB, Willett W, MacMahon B (1991) A prospective cohort study of nutrient intake and age at menarche. Am J Clin Nutr 54(4):649–656

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Moisan J, Meyer F, Gingras S (1990) Diet and age at menarche. Cancer Causes Control 1(2):149–154

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Koprowski C, Ross RK, Mack WJ, Henderson BE, Bernstein L (1999) Diet, body size and menarche in a multiethnic cohort. Br J Cancer 79(11–12):1907–1911

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  50. Carwile JL, Willett WC, Wang M, Rich-Edwards J, Frazier AL, Michels KB (2015) Milk consumption after age 9 years does not predict age at menarche. J Nutr 145(8):1900–1908

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  51. Cheng G, Gerlach S, Libuda L, Kranz S, Gunther AL, Karaolis-Danckert N et al (2010) Diet quality in childhood is prospectively associated with the timing of puberty but not with body composition at puberty onset. J Nutr 140(1):95–102

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Gunther AL, Karaolis-Danckert N, Kroke A, Remer T, Buyken AE (2010) Dietary protein intake throughout childhood is associated with the timing of puberty. J Nutr 140(3):565–571

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. de Ridder CM, Thijssen JH, Van ‘t Veer P, van Duuren R, Bruning PF, Zonderland ML et al (1991) Dietary habits, sexual maturation, and plasma hormones in pubertal girls: a longitudinal study. Am J Clin Nutr 54(5):805–813

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Merzenich H, Boeing H, Wahrendorf J (1993) Dietary fat and sports activity as determinants for age at menarche. Am J Epidemiol 138(4):217–224

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Koo MM, Rohan TE, Jain M, McLaughlin JR, Corey PN (2002) A cohort study of dietary fibre intake and menarche. Public Health Nutr 5(2):353–360

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Rogers IS, Northstone K, Dunger DB, Cooper AR, Ness AR, Emmett PM (2010) Diet throughout childhood and age at menarche in a contemporary cohort of British girls. Public Health Nutr 13(12):2052–2063

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Kissinger DG, Sanchez A (1987) The association of dietary factors with the age of menarche. Nutr Res 7:471–479

    Article  Google Scholar 

  58. Grasgruber P, Cacek J, Kalina T, Sebera M (2014) The role of nutrition and genetics as key determinants of the positive height trend. Econ Human Biol 15:81–100

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Wiley AS (2005) Does milk make children grow? Relationships between milk consumption and height in NHANES 1999–2002. Am J Hum Biol 17(4):425–441

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Mills JL, Shiono PH, Shapiro LR, Crawford PB, Rhoads GG (1986) Early growth predicts timing of puberty in boys: results of a 14-year nutrition and growth study. J Pediatr 109(3):543–547

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Amador M, Bacallao J, Hermelo M (1996) Body mass index at different ages and its association with height at age 14 and with the whole growing process. Nutrition 12(6):416–422

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Monteilh C, Kieszak S, Flanders WD, Maisonet M, Rubin C, Holmes AK et al (2011) Timing of maturation and predictors of Tanner stage transitions in boys enrolled in a contemporary British cohort. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 25(1):75–87

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Juul A, Magnusdottir S, Scheike T, Prytz S, Skakkebaek NE (2007) Age at voice break in Danish boys: effects of pre-pubertal body mass index and secular trend. Int J Androl 30(6):537–542

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  64. Silventoinen K, Haukka J, Dunkel L, Tynelius P, Rasmussen F (2008) Genetics of pubertal timing and its associations with relative weight in childhood and adult height: the Swedish Young Male Twins Study. Pediatrics 121(4):e885–e891

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Sandhu J, Ben-Shlomo Y, Cole TJ, Holly J, Davey Smith G (2006) The impact of childhood body mass index on timing of puberty, adult stature and obesity: a follow-up study based on adolescent anthropometry recorded at Christ’s Hospital (1936–1964). Int J Obes (Lond) 30(1):14–22

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  66. He Q, Karlberg J (2001) BMI in childhood and its association with height gain, timing of puberty, and final height. Pediatr Res 49(2):244–251

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. Buyken AE, Karaolis-Danckert N, Remer T (2009) Association of prepubertal body composition in healthy girls and boys with the timing of early and late pubertal markers. Am J Clin Nutr 89(1):221–230

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  68. Garn SM, Greaney GR, Young RW (1956) Fat thickness and growth progress during infancy. Hum Biol 28(2):232–252

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  69. De Leonibus C, Marcovecchio ML, Chiavaroli V, de Giorgis T, Chiarelli F, Mohn A (2014) Timing of puberty and physical growth in obese children: a longitudinal study in boys and girls. Pediatr Obes 9(4):292–299

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  70. Boyne MS, Thame M, Osmond C, Fraser RA, Gabay L, Reid M et al (2010) Growth, body composition, and the onset of puberty: longitudinal observations in Afro-Caribbean children. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 95(7):3194–3200

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  71. Tanner JM, Landt KW, Cameron N, Carter BS, Patel J (1983) Prediction of adult height from height and bone age in childhood. A new system of equations (TW Mark II) based on a sample including very tall and very short children. Arch Dis Child 58(10):767–776

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  72. Nierop AF, Niklasson A, Holmgren A, Gelander L, Rosberg S, Albertsson-Wikland K (2016) Modelling individual longitudinal human growth from fetal to adult life—QEPS I. J Theor Biol 406:143–165

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  73. Villamor E, Jansen EC (2016) Nutritional Determinants of the Timing of Puberty. Annu Rev Public Health 37:33–46

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  74. Fleshner N, Zlotta AR (2007) Prostate cancer prevention: past, present, and future. Cancer 110(9):1889–1899

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  75. Gunnell D, Okasha M, Smith GD, Oliver SE, Sandhu J, Holly JM (2001) Height, leg length, and cancer risk: a systematic review. Epidemiol Rev 23(2):313–342

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  76. Vieira JG, Nishida SK, Pereira AB, Arraes RF, Verreschi IT (1994) Serum levels of prostate-specific antigen in normal boys throughout puberty. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 78(5):1185–1187

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

AA, GAC, and CSB were supported by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. YP and SS were supported by the Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital and the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center (P30 CA091842). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation of data, preparation of the report, or decision to publish. All authors had full access to the data and analyses, and had final responsibility for the decision to submit for publication.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Public Health Sciences and the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA

    Aliya Alimujiang, Graham A. Colditz, Yikyung Park & Siobhan Sutcliffe

  2. Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Aliya Alimujiang

  3. Consultant, Bedford, MA, USA

    Jane D. Gardner

  4. Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Catherine S. Berkey

  5. Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, 600 S. Taylor Avenue, 2nd floor, Rm. 208S, Box 8100, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA

    Siobhan Sutcliffe

Authors
  1. Aliya Alimujiang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Graham A. Colditz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jane D. Gardner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yikyung Park
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Catherine S. Berkey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Siobhan Sutcliffe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

AA performed the scientific literature review, and contributed to the design of the present analysis, data analysis, interpretation of the data, and drafting and critical revision of the manuscript. She also reviewed and approved the final submitted version. GAC contributed to the design of the present analysis, data analysis, interpretation of the data, and critical revision of the manuscript. He also approved the final submitted version. JDG contributed to the design of the parent study, data collection, and critical revision of the manuscript. She also approved the final submitted version. YP contributed to the interpretation of the data and critical revision of the manuscript. She also approved the final submitted version. CSB contributed to the design of the present analysis, data collection, data analysis, interpretation of the data, and critical revision of the manuscript. She also approved the final submitted version. SS contributed to the design of the present analysis, data analysis, interpretation of the data, and drafting and critical revision of the manuscript. She also approved the final submitted version.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Siobhan Sutcliffe.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose.

Appendix

Appendix

See Tables 5, 6, 7, and 8.

Table 5 Correlations between intake of macronutrientsa at ages 1–2 years in 64 Caucasian boys born in the 1930s, Longitudinal Studies of Child Health and Development
Full size table
Table 6 Correlations between intake of macronutrientsa at ages 3–5 years in 64 Caucasian boys born in the 1930s, Longitudinal Studies of Child Health and Development
Full size table
Table 7 Correlations between intake of macronutrientsa at ages 6–8 years in 64 Caucasian boys born in the 1930s, Longitudinal Studies of Child Health and Development
Full size table
Table 8 Correlations between intake of macronutrientsa at ages 9–10 years in 64 Caucasian boys born in the 1930s, Longitudinal Studies of Child Health and Development
Full size table

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Alimujiang, A., Colditz, G.A., Gardner, J.D. et al. Childhood diet and growth in boys in relation to timing of puberty and adult height: the Longitudinal Studies of Child Health and Development. Cancer Causes Control 29, 915–926 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-018-1068-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-018-1068-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation