Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
07:56

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts

Published on: January 29, 2018

BMI at 4 years of age is associated with previous and current protein intake and with paternal BMI

I Ohlund1, O Hernell, A Hörnell

  • 1Department of Food and Nutrition, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. inger.ohlund@kost.umu.se

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|November 12, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Childhood body mass index (BMI) at 4 years tracks from infancy and is linked to protein intake and parental BMI, especially the father's. These findings highlight early life factors influencing weight status in children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Childhood Obesity
  • Growth Monitoring

Background:

  • Childhood overweight and obesity are significant public health concerns.
  • Understanding early life predictors of body mass index (BMI) is crucial for intervention.
  • Parental BMI and early dietary habits may influence a child's long-term weight trajectory.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate associations between body mass index (BMI) at 4 years of age.
  • To examine the relationship between current and previous dietary intakes and BMI.
  • To assess the influence of parental BMI on child's BMI.

Main Methods:

  • Follow-up study of 127 children initially assessed at 18 months of age.
  • Anthropometric measurements (BMI) and dietary intake assessments were conducted at 4 years.
  • Regression analyses were used to identify predictors of BMI.

Main Results:

  • Overweight and obesity prevalence at 4 years was 14% for girls and 13% for boys (overweight), and 2% for girls and 3% for boys (obese).
  • Parental overweight and obesity rates were substantial (fathers: 34% overweight, 9% obese; mothers: 19% overweight, 7% obese).
  • Child's BMI at 6-18 months strongly predicted BMI at 4 years. Protein, energy, and carbohydrate intake at 17/18 months and 4 years, and father's BMI, were independently associated with child's BMI at 4 years.

Conclusions:

  • Childhood BMI at 4 years demonstrates tracking from 6-18 months of age.
  • Protein intake (current and previous) and parental BMI, particularly the father's, are associated with a child's BMI at 4 years.
  • These findings underscore the importance of early nutrition and parental factors in pediatric weight management.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Monitoring Blood Glucose in Mouse Offspring After Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection06:11

Monitoring Blood Glucose in Mouse Offspring After Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection

Published on: May 17, 2024

Quantified Assessment of Infant's Gross Motor Abilities Using a Multisensor Wearable09:24

Quantified Assessment of Infant's Gross Motor Abilities Using a Multisensor Wearable

Published on: May 17, 2024

Related Concept Videos

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...
Pedigree Analysis01:35

Pedigree Analysis

Overview
Anatomy of the Intestines01:23

Anatomy of the Intestines

Although digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids may begin in the stomach, it is completed in the intestine. The absorption of nutrients, water, and electrolytes from food and drink also occurs in the intestine. The intestines can be divided into two structurally distinct organs—the small and large intestines.
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the small...
Probability Laws01:49

Probability Laws

Overview
Overview of Protein Metabolism01:21

Overview of Protein Metabolism

Proteins are broken down into amino acids during digestion. Unlike fats and carbohydrates, which are stored for later use, proteins are not. Instead, amino acids are either used to produce ATP through oxidation or contribute to the creation of new proteins for the growth and repair of the body. Any surplus amino acids from the diet are converted into glucose or triglycerides rather than excreted.
Amino acids play various roles in the body once they are absorbed into cells. They are restructured...
Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance02:30

Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance

Diploid organisms inherit genetic material through chromosomes from both parents. Copies of the same gene are known as alleles. In most cases, both alleles are simultaneously expressed and allow various cellular processes to function optimally. If one of the alleles is missing or mutated, the expression of the other allele can compensate; however, this is not true for all genes.
The expression of some genes depends on which parent passed the gene to the offspring, through a phenomenon known as...