Maternal obesity is associated with younger age at obesity onset in U.S. adolescent offspring followed into adulthood.
OBJECTIVE
The objective was to test the hypothesis that maternal obesity is associated with younger age of offspring's obesity onset.


METHODS
We used prospective, nationally representative, longitudinal data collected across Waves I (1995; 12 to 20 years), II (1996; 13 to 20 years), and III (2001; 18 to 28 years) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 14,654; 49% female). Interval regression analysis was used to assess the association between maternal obesity and age at offspring's obesity onset (International Obesity Task Force BMI >or=30 equivalent age- and sex-specific cut-off points for adolescents and BMI >or=30 for young adults) using self-reported heights and weights, adjusting for race/ethnicity, sex, parental education, and family income, accounting for complex sampling design.


RESULTS
The net effect of having an obese mother varied by race/ethnicity and was associated with a significantly earlier age at obesity onset (p = 0.0001) for whites [beta= -8.1 year, 95% confidence interval (CI), -9.3; -6.9)], blacks (beta = -10.8 years, 95% CI, -12.4; -9.2), Hispanics (beta = -7.0 years, 95% CI, -9.2; -4.8), and Asians (beta = -8.6 years, 95% CI, -13.3; -3.9). Earlier obesity onset (<18 years) was associated with increased severity at young adulthood (mean BMI, 36.0 +/- 0.3 kg/m(2)) vs. onset after age 18 (mean BMI, 34.4 +/- 0.2 kg/m(2); p = 0.0001). There were no sex differences in the association of maternal obesity to age at obesity onset.


CONCLUSIONS
Having an obese mother was associated with earlier age at obesity onset across all race/ethnic groups, particularly non-Hispanic blacks. Early obesity onset has important health consequences because of its association with more severe adult obesity.
Gordon-Larsen
Penny
P
Carolina Population Center and Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27516-3997, USA. gordon_larsen@unc.edu
Adair
Linda S
LS
Suchindran
Chirayath M
CM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D032721:Adult Children / Q000208:ethnology*; D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology; D017668:Age of Onset; D001213:Asian / Q000208:ethnology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008429:Maternal Welfare / Q000208:ethnology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology*; D012923:Social Class; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology