Rate of change in body mass index at different ages during childhood and adult obesity risk.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Childhood body mass index (BMI) predicts adult obesity. How growth trajectories during childhood relate to adult obesity risk is not well defined.

Objective

We aimed to characterize BMI growth trajectories from childhood to midlife and to examine the associations between BMI growth rates at childhood age points and adult obesity risk.

Methods

The longitudinal study included 2732 participants with repeated BMI measurements from childhood (4-19 y) to adulthood (20-51 y). A random-effects model was used to construct BMI growth curves by race and sex. Model-estimated levels and linear growth rates of BMI were linked to adult obesity in separate multivariable logistic regression models at individual childhood age points.

Results

BMI followed cubic growth

SUBMITTER: Zhang T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6684349 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature