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Genetic heritage as a risk factor enabling chilhood obesity
Madalena Cunha1, Graça Aparício, João Duarte
1Health School/Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Portugal. madalenacunhanunes@gmail.com
Atencion Primaria
|June 6, 2013
Summary
Maternal obesity significantly increases the risk of childhood overweight, influenced by genetic and family factors. Prevention strategies must address both environmental and hereditary aspects for effective childhood obesity management.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Genetics
Background:
- Maternal obesity is a recognized predictor of offspring obesity.
- The interplay between genetic predisposition and family environment in this transmission is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- Determine the prevalence of childhood overweight.
- Assess the nutritional status and metabolic risk of parents.
- Analyze the impact of family metabolic risk markers on childhood obesity.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive study involving 1424 children and their mothers in Portugal.
- Anthropometric measurements for children and parents, classified using established references (NCHS, WHO, DGS).
- Social demographic data collected via a Food Frequency Questionnaire.
Main Results:
- Overweight affected 34.3% of children (17.4% obese), with higher rates in boys and 5-year-olds.
- Parental overweight was prevalent in 41.9% (12.1% obese), linked to lower education, income, older age, and rural residence.
- Maternal overweight increased child overweight probability by 1.4 times, with a nearly 2-fold risk in mother-daughter relationships. Gestational weight gain and birth weight were also factors.
Conclusions:
- Enabling factors for maternal and child markers in childhood overweight development exist.
- Childhood obesity prevention requires consideration of both environmental influences and genetic inheritance.
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