Incidence of obesity during childhood and adolescence in a large contemporary cohort.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Timing of obesity development during childhood and adolescence is unclear, hindering preventive strategies. The primary aim of the present study was to quantify the incidence of overweight and obesity throughout childhood and adolescence in a large contemporary cohort of English children (the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, ALSPAC; children born 1991-1992). A secondary aim was to examine the persistence of overweight and obesity.

Methods

Longitudinal data on weight and height were collected annually from age 7-15 years in the entire ALSPAC cohort (n=4283), and from 3 to 15 years in a randomly selected subsample of the cohort (n=549; 'Children in Focus' CiF). Incidence of overweight and obesity (BMI (Body mass index) at or above the 85th a

SUBMITTER: Hughes AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3919170 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature