Risk factors in childhood obesity-findings from the All Babies In Southeast Sweden (ABIS) cohort.
OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to investigate whether overweight at a very young age predicts overweight at 5 years and to identify risk factors for overweight/obesity at 5 years, thereby making it easier for Child Health Services to focus their prevention strategies on risk groups.


METHODS
We analysed data from the ABIS study (All Babies In Southeast Sweden), a prospective cohort study. Parents answered questionnaires between childbirth (n = 16,058) and 5 years (n = 7356).


RESULTS
High body mass index (BMI; >95th percentile) at 1 year (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]= 6.57; 95% CI = 4.63-9.33; p < 0.001) and age-adjusted BMI > 25 at 2.5 years (AOR = 14.24; 95% CI = 10.52-19.29; p < 0.001) were associated with increased risk of obesity (age-adjusted BMI > 30) at 5 years. Heredity for type 2 diabetes (p = 0.022), high parental BMI and the child's own BMI at birth and at 1 year predicted higher BMI of the child at 5 years (p < 0.001). High parental education was inversely associated with child overweight (p = 0.054 respective p < 0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
Obesity at age 1 and at 2.5 years predicts obesity at 5 years. Obese parents, especially in families with heredity for type 2 diabetes and low education, should be targeted in early obesity prevention strategies by the Child Health Service.
Huus
Karina
K
Division of Pediatrics and Diabetes Research Centre, Linköping University, Sweden. karina.huus@hhj.hj.se
Ludvigsson
Jonas F
JF
Enskär
Karin
K
Ludvigsson
Johnny
J
D015992:Body Mass Index; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology