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Updated: Dec 2, 2025
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
A Practical Screening Tool to Predict Early Childhood Obesity Risk: Examining a Birth Cohort
James Gannon1,2, Allison J Pollock1, David B Allen1
1University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
Insights
Identifying early life risk factors can predict childhood obesity. Key predictors include maternal obesity, maternal diabetes, large for gestational age, or short breastfeeding duration, enabling early intervention.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Childhood obesity at 5 years increases lifelong obesity risk.
- Early identification of obesity risks in infancy is clinically valuable.
- Risk factors for iron deficiency and obesity overlap, informing cohort selection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate predictors of obesity risk in early life.
- To develop a tool for early obesity risk prediction.
- To leverage a healthy birth cohort for identifying obesity risk factors.
Main Methods:
- Prospective collection of a healthy birth cohort.
- Defined childhood obesity as age- and sex-specific body mass index Z-score (zBMI) >2SD at 5 years.
- Summed identified obesity risk factors for each child.
Main Results:
- Identified 4 key obesity risk factors: maternal obesity, maternal diabetes, large for gestational age, and breastfeeding <6 months.
- Childhood obesity was predicted by ≥3 total risks (P < .033).
- Childhood obesity was significantly predicted by any key risk (P < .002) or summing key risks (P < .0001).
Conclusions:
- Summing early life risk factors can predict childhood obesity.
- This strategy may aid preemptive counseling in clinical practice.
- Early identification of at-risk children allows for timely interventions.
Abstract:
Children obese at the age of 5 years are at greater risk of lifelong obesity. Because certain risks of obesity can be identified in early infancy, a tool for obesity risk prediction in early life would be clinically useful. We investigated predictors of obesity risk in a novel, prospectively collected healthy birth cohort recruited for demographic risks to develop iron deficiency at 1 year, a cohort leveraged because risk factors for iron deficiency and obesity overlap. Obesity at the age of 5 years was defined as age- and sex-specific body mass index Z-score (zBMI) >2SD. For each child, obesity risk factors were summed. Of 10 total risk factors, the following 4 key risks were identified: maternal obesity, maternal diabetes, large for gestational age, or breastfeeding <6 months. Childhood obesity was predicted by either ≥3 total number of risks (P < .033), any key risk (P < .002), or summing key risks (P < .0001). In clinical practice, summing early life risk factors may be a useful strategy for preemptive counseling.
