Development of obesity from childhood to adolescents

Obesity is a major health problem in Poland and around the world. Excessive gain in early childhood is an important risk factor for the development of obesity. The aim of the study was to analyze the prevalence of obesity in 2-, 4- and 6-year-old obese children.

The study group: 656 overweight and obese children aged 5-18 years old. The patients' height and weight were measured, body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Overweight: BMI between 85th-97th percentile and obesity: BMI > 97th were defined using World Health Organization. BMI < +2 SDS as overweight, BMI ≥ +2 SDS as class I obesity, and BMI ≥ 3 SDS as class II. Measurements from the health books of children aged 2 (n = 626), 4 (n = 533) and 6 (n = 518) years old were analyzed.

Mean age: 12.25 ±2.90 years, BMI SDS: +2.54 ±0.60. There were 100 overweight (15.2%) and 556 obese (84.8%) children in the group, including 143 patients with class II obesity (21.8%). Children < 10 years old comprised 28%. It was established that 36.6% of the patients were overweight or obese at the age of 2 years old. At the age of 4, the percentage was 73.9%, and at the age of 6, it was as high as 84%.

1. The children studied had excess body weight from early childhood. The prevalence of obesity increased with age. 2. Systematic monitoring of developmental parameters in children is essential from an early age.