Longitudinal study of variation in body mass index in middle-aged UK females.

ABSTRACT: The importance of changing patterns of obesity in society and its implications for public health are well recognized. However, the adult life course of body mass index (BMI) changes in individuals over time is largely unknown and has mostly been extrapolated from cross-sectional studies. The present study examines individual specific variation of BMI during a 15-year follow-up period in a community-based sample of UK females. We attempted to establish whether there is a common, generalized pattern which captures variation in BMI over time. The participants of this study belong to a prospective population cohort of British women studied intensively since 1989: the Chingford Study. The sample originally consisted of 1,003 women aged 45-68 years, who were assessed annually for BMI during foll

SUBMITTER: Livshits G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3448995 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature