Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 31, 2026

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

Early body mass index and other anthropometric relationships between parents and children

D L Safer1, W S Agras, S Bryson

  • 1Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Behavioral Medicine Program, Stanford, California 94305-5722, USA. dlsafer@stanford.edu

International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders : Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity
|October 24, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Parental obesity significantly correlates with childhood body mass index (BMI) by age 7. Children with two overweight parents show elevated BMI starting at age 7, indicating strong familial influences on adiposity development.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Human Genetics
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern with complex etiological factors.
  • Understanding the interplay between parental and offspring adiposity is crucial for early intervention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To longitudinally examine the association between parental and childhood adiposity measures.
  • To investigate the influence of parental adiposity on the development of childhood adiposity over the first 8 years of life.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal community-based study tracking 114 children from infancy to age 8.
  • Measurements of weight, height, skinfolds, midarm circumference, waist, and hip circumference were collected annually for children and at baseline for 228 biological parents.

Main Results:

  • Significant correlations between parental and offspring body mass index (BMI) emerged at age 7.
  • Children with two overweight parents exhibited consistently higher BMI compared to those with zero or one overweight parent, with significant differences noted from age 7.

Conclusions:

  • Familial factors, encompassing biological and environmental influences, play a role in adiposity development.
  • These familial influences on adiposity become statistically significant around age 7, linking parental and childhood obesity levels.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts07:56

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts

Published on: January 29, 2018

Clinical Anthropometrics and Body Composition from 3-Dimensional Optical Imaging06:48

Clinical Anthropometrics and Body Composition from 3-Dimensional Optical Imaging

Published on: June 7, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Nature and Nurture01:10

Nature and Nurture

Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience, such as differences...
Regression Toward the Mean01:52

Regression Toward the Mean

Regression toward the mean (“RTM”) is a phenomenon in which extremely high or low values—for example, and individual’s blood pressure at a particular moment—appear closer to a group’s average upon remeasuring. Although this statistical peculiarity is the result of random error and chance, it has been problematic across various medical, scientific, financial and psychological applications. In particular, RTM, if not taken into account, can interfere when researchers try to extrapolate results...
Moments and Product of Inertia01:23

Moments and Product of Inertia

The calculation of the moment of inertia for a differential element within a rigid body involves multiplying the element's mass by the square of the minimum distance from any one of the three-coordinate axes to the said element. This is a process that can be extended to cover the entire mass of the body by simply integrating the expression, thereby ascertaining the body's moment of inertia.
Obesity01:24

Obesity

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in adipocytes...
Biological Influences on Intelligence01:30

Biological Influences on Intelligence

Intelligence is often thought to be linked to brain size, but the relationship is more complex than that. While brain size does correlate modestly with some abilities, like verbal skills, the connection is weaker for others, such as spatial reasoning. Other factors, like brain structure, also play crucial roles. For instance, despite Einstein's smaller-than-average brain, his parietal cortex, which is involved in spatial reasoning, was 15% wider, suggesting that neural density might matter more...
Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience01:18

Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience

Self-esteem, a crucial component of psychological development, is significantly shaped by familial experiences. The early parent-child relationship serves as a foundational influence on a child's self-concept, with long-lasting effects extending into adolescence and adulthood.Parental Behaviors and Early Self-Esteem FormationEmpirical studies have identified four principal parental behaviors that foster healthy self-esteem in children. These include expressions of acceptance, affection, and...