Childhood BMI and Adult Obesity in a Chinese Sample: A 13-Year Follow-up Study

• Published in: Biomedical and environmental sciences 2019-03, Vol.32 (3), p.162-168
• Main Authors: LIU, Dan, HAO, Yun Xia, ZHAO, Ting Zhi, SONG, Peng Kun, ZHAI, Yi, PANG, Shao Jie, ZHAO, Yan Fang, ZHANG, Mei, WANG, Zhuo Qun, MI, Sheng Quan, WANG, Yu Ying, ZHANG, Jian, ZHAO, Wen Hua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Children and adolescents; China; Cohort study; Life course epidemiology; Obesity
• ISSN: 0895-3988; 2214-0190
• DOI: 10.3967/bes2019.023

Obesity is recognized as a significant risk factor for diabetes and hypertension. The present study aimed to examine the associations between adults’ obesity risk and childhood and parental obesity. A total of 204 children aged 6-17 years were recruited in 2002 with an average follow-up period of 13.2 years. Height and body weight were measured by trained staffs. Overweight and obesity were defined based on the Chinese standard for children and adults. T-test, analysis of variance, and Chi-square analysis were used for single factor analysis. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were used to perform multifactor analysis. The percentage of non-obese children who grew up to be non-obese adults was 62.6%, and that of obese children who grew up to be obese adults was 80.0%. There was a significant association between childhood body mass index (BMI) and adulthood BMI with a β regression coefficient of 3.76 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.36-6.16], and between childhood obesity and adulthood obesity with an odds ratio of 5.76 (95% CI: 1.37-24.34). There was no statistical difference between parental obesity at baseline and children's adulthood obesity, after adjustment of confounders. Male participants and those aged 10.0-13.0 years had a higher risk of adulthood obesity with odds ratios of 2.50 (95% CI: 1.12-5.26) and 3.62 (95% CI: 1.17-11.24), respectively. Childhood obesity is an important predictor of adulthood obesity.