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Updated: Aug 16, 2026
09:36
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Risk factors for childhood overweight
W Stewart Agras1, Anthony J Mascola
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA. sagras@stanford.edu
Current Opinion in Pediatrics
|September 15, 2005
Summary
Parental overweight is the strongest predictor of childhood obesity. Interventions targeting parental behavior and specific child habits, like reducing sugary drinks, show promise for prevention.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Genetics
Background:
- Childhood overweight prevalence is increasing globally.
- Identifying risk factors is crucial for effective prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the 2004 literature on risk factors for childhood overweight.
- To inform early intervention strategies for obesity prevention.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies published in 2004.
- Analysis of identified risk factors and their impact.
Main Results:
- Parental overweight is the most significant risk factor.
- Child temperament, fast food/sweetened drink consumption, and sedentary behavior are implicated.
- Parental overcontrol of feeding may increase risk.
Conclusions:
- Early identification of at-risk children can facilitate intervention.
- Targeted interventions (e.g., reducing sugary drinks, modifying parental behavior) may be more effective than broad changes.
- Environmental modifications during early development could have lasting effects on obesity prevention.
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