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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

Body mass index has risen more steeply in tall than in short 3-year olds: serial cross-sectional surveys 1988-2003

I E Buchan1, P E Bundred, D J Kitchiner

  • 1NIBHI, Medical School, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. buchan@manchester.ac.uk

International Journal of Obesity (2005)
|August 2, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Over 16 years, body mass index (BMI) increased significantly in the tallest 3-year-olds, while height decreased. This suggests tall stature is now a key factor in childhood obesity, driven by growth and appetite.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Public Health Nutrition
  • Growth Monitoring

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern.
  • Understanding trends in body mass index (BMI) and height is crucial for monitoring child health.
  • The relationship between BMI and height in early childhood requires ongoing investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the evolving relationship between body mass index (BMI) and height in young children.
  • To identify changes in BMI and height trends over a 16-year period.
  • To investigate how height influences BMI changes in early childhood.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized annual cross-sectional surveys of health-visitor-collected routine data from 1988-2003 in Wirral, England.
  • Included 50,455 three-year-old children, with weight and height measured.
  • Calculated body mass index (BMI) and adjusted for age and sex using standard deviation scores.

Main Results:

  • Mean BMI increased by 0.7 kg/m² while mean height fell by 0.5 cm between 1988 and 2003.
  • The correlation between weight and height increased significantly, from 0.59 to 0.71.
  • The tallest 10% of children experienced a 12-fold greater BMI increase compared to the shortest 10%.

Conclusions:

  • In Wirral, the tallest 3-year-olds exhibited the most significant BMI increases, while the shortest showed minimal change.
  • Tall stature has emerged as a critical factor associated with childhood obesity.
  • This trend suggests that increased adiposity in young children is linked to growth and appetite, with faster-growing children being more susceptible to obesogenic environments.
Abstract

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