title: Predicting obesity in early adulthood in Japanese women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We analysed the body measurements of Japanese women to determine which factors may forecast adult obesity and also performed a comparative study of the utility of body mass index (BMI), which is used widely in Western Europe, and percentage of overweight, which is used in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects included 244 Japanese women who were born between 1983 and 1986. Using a questionnaire, we investigated anthropometric values from birth to present and parents' present anthropometric data, and analysed factors that correlate with current BMI data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (i) BMI after 10 years of age and BMI increase between ages 7 and 8 years correlated with BMI in adulthood. The carrying over rate of overweight increased with age. Meanwhile, percentage of overweight after 13 years onwards correlated with BMI in adulthood. (ii) Adult BMI positively correlated to both parents' BMI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (i) For a Japanese woman, BMI in childhood is a good indicator of young adult BMI, and has the possibility of becoming an important parameter to monitor obesity progression. (ii) Therefore, attempts to control obesity in elementary school girls are necessary. (iii) Parents' weights may potentially influence obesity in adulthood; however, further examination of other confounding factors is necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, National Hospital Organization, Okayama Medical Center, Okayama, Japan. kubocchi@okayama3.hosp.go.jp
authors.forename: Toshihide
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: Mahoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Furujo
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: Kohei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsukahara
authors.forename: Hirosuke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ogura
authors.forename: Takehide
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Junya
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukuhara
authors.forename: Teruhisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.forename: Tomohisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanadani
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shiraga
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D044466:Asian People; D001724:Birth Weight; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010290:Parents; D012307:Risk Factors; D013338:Students, Nursing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health