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Updated: May 7, 2026
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Development of BMI values of German children and their healthcare costs
Ariane Batscheider1, Peter Rzehak2, Christina M Teuner1
1Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Health Economics and Health Care Management, Neuherberg, Germany.
Insights
Children with persistent rapid Body Mass Index (BMI) growth up to age 5 face doubled healthcare costs by age 10. Understanding BMI trajectories is key to managing childhood health expenses.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Biostatistics
Background:
- Childhood Body Mass Index (BMI) trajectories are linked to long-term health outcomes.
- Understanding the economic impact of different BMI development patterns is crucial for healthcare planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between distinct Body Mass Index (BMI) development patterns from birth and subsequent healthcare utilization and costs in children around 10 years of age.
- To analyze data from the GINIplus and LISAplus birth cohort studies to assess these associations.
Main Methods:
- Latent growth mixture modeling was used to estimate Body Mass Index-standard deviation score (BMIZ) trajectories.
- The correlation between identified BMI trajectories and healthcare service utilization and costs at the 10-year follow-up was examined.
Main Results:
- Three distinct BMI trajectories were identified: normative growth, rapid growth up to age 2, and persistent rapid growth up to age 5.
- Children in the persistent rapid BMIZ growth group incurred average annual direct medical costs of €722, double the overall average of €368 per child.
Conclusions:
- Persistent rapid BMI growth in early childhood is associated with significantly higher healthcare costs by age 10.
- These findings highlight the importance of monitoring early childhood BMI development for predicting future healthcare expenditure.
Abstract:
The aim of this study is to assess the association between different patterns of Body Mass Index (BMI) development from birth on and later healthcare utilisation and costs in children aged about 10 years based on two birth cohort studies: the GINIplus study (3287 respondents) and the LISAplus study (1762 respondents). Direct costs were estimated using information on healthcare utilisation given by parents in the 10-year follow-up. To meet this aim, we (i) estimate BMI-standard deviation score (BMIZ) trajectories using latent growth mixture models and (ii) examine the correlation between these trajectories and utilisation of healthcare services and resulting costs at the 10-year follow-up. We identified three BMI-trajectories: a normative BMIZ growth class (BMI development almost as in the WHO growth standards), a rapid BMIZ growth up to age 2 years class (with a higher BMI in the first two years of life as proposed by the WHO growth standards) and a persistent rapid BMIZ growth up to age 5 years class (with a higher BMI in the first five years of life as proposed by the WHO growth standards). Annual total direct medical costs of healthcare use are estimated to be on average €368 per child. These costs are doubled, i.e. on average €722 per child, in the group with the most pronounced growth (persistent rapid BMIZ growth up to age 5 years class).
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