Predicting obesity in early adulthood from childhood and parental obesity (original) (raw)

International Journal of Obesity volume 27, pages 505–513 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the degree of tracking of adiposity from childhood to early adulthood, and the risk of overweight in early adulthood associated with overweight in childhood and parental weight status in a cohort of children born in the mid-1970s.

DESIGN: Longitudinal observational study.

SUBJECTS: Approximately 155 healthy boys and girls born in Adelaide, South Australia, 1975–1976 and their parents.

MEASUREMENTS: Height and weight of subjects at 2 y, annually from 4 to 8 y, biennially from 11 to 15 y and at 20 y, and of parents when subjects were aged 8 y. Body mass index (BMI) of subjects converted to standard deviation scores and prevalence of overweight and obesity determined using worldwide definitions. Parents classified as overweight if BMI≥25 kg/m2. Tracking estimated as Pearson's correlation coefficient. Risk ratio used to describe the association between weight status at each age and parental weight status and weight status at 20 y and weight status at each earlier age, both unadjusted and adjusted for parental weight status.

RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight/obesity increased with age and was higher than that reported in international reference populations. Tracking of BMI was established from 6 y onwards to 20 y at _r-_values >0.6, suggesting that BMI from 6 y is a good indicator of later BMI. Tracking was stronger for shorter intervals and for those subjects with both parents overweight compared with those with only one or neither parent overweight. Weight status at an earlier age was a more important predictor of weight status at 20 y than parental weight status, and risk of overweight at 20 y increased further with increasing weight status of parents.

CONCLUSION: Strategies for prevention of overweight and targeted interventions for prevention of the progression of overweight to obesity are urgently required in school-aged children in order to stem the epidemic of overweight in the adult population.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the young Adelaide people and their parents for their participation over many years. Dr Vivienne Moore and Professor Jeffrey Robinson, University of Adelaide, were responsible for data collection at 20 y. Adrian Esterman and Paul Hakendorf assisted with the analysis. The work was originally funded by the National Heart Foundation of Australia, and subsequently by the Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nutrition Unit, School of Medicine, Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
    A M Magarey & L A Daniels
  2. School of Medical Practice and Population Health, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
    T J Boulton
  3. Department of Child & Adolescent Neuro-development and Rehabilitation, The Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, Australia
    R A Cockington

Authors

  1. A M Magarey
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  2. L A Daniels
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  3. T J Boulton
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  4. R A Cockington
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Correspondence toA M Magarey.

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Magarey, A., Daniels, L., Boulton, T. et al. Predicting obesity in early adulthood from childhood and parental obesity.Int J Obes 27, 505–513 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802251

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