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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
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Published on: February 2, 2017

Fatness and obesity of the parents of obese individuals

S M Garn1, T V Sullivan, V M Hawthorne

  • 1Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109-0406.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|December 1, 1989
PubMed

Insights

Parental obesity is more common in families with obese children, particularly during adolescence. This familial obesity trend is strongest in teenagers, suggesting shared environmental or genetic factors influencing adolescent obesity.

Area of Science:

  • Human genetics and obesity research
  • Pediatric endocrinology and familial health

Background:

  • Obesity is a significant public health concern with complex etiological factors.
  • Understanding familial aggregation of obesity is crucial for identifying at-risk populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between parental obesity and proband obesity across different age groups.
  • To determine the age at which familial obesity is most pronounced.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 1419 obese proband-parent pairings from a larger cohort (>9000 pairings).
  • Assessment of fatness levels (Z scores) and obesity prevalence in parents and probands.
  • Examination of the relationship between parental obesity and proband age.

Main Results:

  • Parents of obese probands exhibit increased fatness ( +0.27 Z scores) and higher obesity rates (OR 1.50).
  • The association between parental and proband obesity peaks during adolescence.
  • Parents of lean probands tend to be leaner, with this trend also peaking in adolescence.

Conclusions:

  • Familial obesity is most evident in adolescents and their parents, highlighting a critical developmental window.
  • Findings suggest shared environmental or specific etiological factors contributing to adolescent-onset obesity.
  • This two-generational study underscores the importance of family context in obesity development.

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