title: Crossing growth percentiles in infancy and risk of obesity in childhood.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the associations of upward crossing of major percentiles in weight-for-length in the first 24 months of life with the prevalence of obesity at ages 5 and 10 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multisite clinical practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included 44 622 children aged from 1 month to less than 11 years with 122 214 length/height and weight measurements from January 1, 1980, through December 31, 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  The number of major weight-for-length percentiles crossed during each of four 6-month intervals, that is, 1 to 6 months, 6 to 12 months, 12 to 18 months, and 18 to 24 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Odds and observed prevalence of obesity (body mass index [calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared] ≥95th percentile) at ages 5 and 10 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Crossing upwards 2 or more weight-for-length percentiles was common in the first 6 months of life (43%) and less common during later age intervals. Crossing upwards 2 or more weight-for-length percentiles in the first 24 months was associated with elevated odds of obesity at ages 5 years (odds ratio, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.84-2.34) and 10 years (1.75; 1.53-2.00) compared with crossing less than 2 major percentiles. Obesity prevalence at ages 5 and 10 was highest among children who crossed upwards 2 or more weight-for-length percentiles in the first 6 months of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Crossing upwards 2 or more major weight-for-length percentiles in the first 24 months of life is associated with later obesity. Upward crossing of 2 weight-for-length percentiles in the first 6 months is associated with the highest prevalence of obesity 5 and 10 years later. Efforts to curb excess weight gain in infancy may be useful in preventing later obesity.
authors: Obesity Prevention Program, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA. elsie_taveras@hphc.org
authors: Elsie M
authors: EM
authors: Taveras
authors: Sheryl L
authors: SL
authors: Rifas-Shiman
authors: Bettylou
authors: B
authors: Sherry
authors: Emily
authors: E
authors: Oken
authors: Jess
authors: J
authors: Haines
authors: Ken
authors: K
authors: Kleinman
authors: Janet W
authors: JW
authors: Rich-Edwards
authors: Matthew W
authors: MW
authors: Gillman
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D015430:Weight Gain