Onset of obesity in children through the recall of parents: relationship to parental obesity and life events.
Obesity is a multifactorial disease due to the influence of both genetic and environmental factors. Parents of 886 obese patients (427 boys and 459 girls, aged 1-18 years) were investigated by means of a questionnaire in order to study the factors associated with the onset of obesity in children and the relationship to genetic background. At presentation obese patients had a very high mean ideal body weight percent (IBW%) (154 +/- 19%, median 152%, range 120-246). A significantly higher mean IBW% was found in children of obese parents (one obese parent: 158 +/- 21%, median 156%, range 120-246; two obese parents 160 +/- 18%, median 158%, range 123-226) in comparison to children of normal weight parents (150 +/- 18%; median 147%, range 120-235; p = 0.0001 for children of one or two obese parents versus children of normal weight parents). Parents of 414 subjects (46.7%) (Group A) answered that obesity had always been present. The remaining 472 parents (53.3%) (Group B) stated that obesity had had a beginning at a mean age of 5.3 +/- 2.6 years (median 5.0 years, range 1.0-17.0). No difference was found in age at presentation, sex distribution, birth weight and number of obese parents between the two groups. Parents in Group B recalled an event associated with obesity onset in 197 cases (health event: 119 answers, psycho-social event: 78 answers). Genetic background did not influence this pattern of feedback. In conclusion, parents of obese subjects seek medical advice when obesity is severe. Pediatricians should exert strict surveillance on weight from a very young age. The recall in 22% patients of health or psychosocial events at the onset of obesity emphasizes that medical counselling is important when the occurrence of particular events in life may cause erroneous eating habits.
Franzese
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A
Department of Pediatrics, University Federico II, Naples, Italy.
Valerio
G
G
Argenziano
A
A
Esposito-Del Puente
A
A
Iannucci
M P
MP
Caputo
G
G
Alfonsi
L
L
Contaldo
F
F
Rubino
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004782:Environmental Health; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D010290:Parents