Childhood obesity: the infancy connection.
The prevalence of overweight has risen to 19% in children aged 6 to 11 years and 17% in adolescents aged 12 to 19 years. This paper examines gestational and infancy factors that influence the risk of overweight in childhood. Important factors to eliminate the infancy connection to childhood obesity include the following: (a) maternal lifestyle patterns, (b) infant feeding transitions, and (c) environmental factors. Prevention efforts need to focus on practice, research, and public policy.
Snethen
Julia A
JA
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee College of Nursing, WI 53201, USA. julia@uwm.edu
Hewitt
Jeanne Beauchamp
JB
Goretzke
Maribeth
M
D000293:Adolescent; D001724:Birth Weight; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D015438:Health Behavior; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007229:Infant Welfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008019:Life Style; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D016389:Maternal-Child Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D024802:Nurse's Role; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D011322:Primary Prevention; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D013694:Temperament