Disease Patterns Across the Life Course by Childhood BMI Group

Most studies have investigated how childhood BMI impacts risks of single diseases. We investigated whether sex-specific patterns of disease diagnoses from ages 15 to 60 years differed by childhood BMI.

We included 112,952 children (55,603 girls) from the Copenhagen School Health Records Register, born 1962-1996, with measured weights and heights. BMI at 7 years was classified as underweight (4.3%), normal weight (83.1%), overweight (9.2%), or obesity (3.5%). Hospital-based diagnoses came from national registers. Sex-specific cumulative incidences were calculated for the 50 most frequent diseases per BMI group.

Individuals with childhood obesity had the highest estimated mean number of hospital-based diagnoses by age 60, 18.2 (95% CI: 16.9-19.5) in females and 15.1 (13.8-16.4) in males. Corresponding estimates for normal weight were 14.7 (14.5-14.9) in females and 11.7 (11.5-11.8) in males. Among females and males with obesity in childhood, the most common diagnosis before age 60 years was adult overweight/obesity (36.4% and 11.8%, respectively). There were only minor differences for other diseases by childhood BMI categories.

Adults with obesity in childhood had the highest number of hospital-based diagnoses. Disease patterns across the life course were generally similar by childhood BMI groups apart from adult overweight and obesity.