Prevalence of obesity in British children born in 1946 and 1958

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Childhood overweight is a growing public health concern.
• Longitudinal studies are crucial for understanding obesity trends across developmental stages.
• Comparing birth cohorts reveals societal and environmental influences on health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the prevalence of overweight in two British birth cohorts (1946 and 1958) at ages 7, 11, and adolescence.
• To investigate the persistence of overweight status from childhood to adolescence.
• To examine the relationship between social class and overweight prevalence in different cohorts.

Main Methods:

• Utilized two nationally representative British birth cohorts (1946 and 1958).
• Defined overweight as relative weight >120% of standard for height, age, and sex.
• Assessed overweight prevalence at ages 7, 11, and late adolescence.

Main Results:

• The 1958 cohort showed nearly double the prevalence of overweight at age 7 compared to the 1946 cohort.
• Overweight prevalence increased in both cohorts by adolescence, with the cohort difference diminishing.
• No significant association between social class and overweight in boys; higher prevalence in lower socioeconomic groups for girls.
• Strong correlation between relative weights at different ages, indicating persistence of weight status.

Conclusions:

• Early childhood overweight prevalence significantly increased between the 1946 and 1958 British birth cohorts.
• While early differences in overweight prevalence exist, they may not persist into adolescence.
• Social class is associated with overweight in girls but not boys.
• Childhood relative weight is a strong predictor of adolescent weight status.