Being overweight as a young child could double risk of adult obesity, research shows | Obesity
Weight gain as a small child can double the risk of obesity in adulthood, according to the research.
Academics from Holland BMI (BMI) of children between the ages of six years is the most reliable index of obesity in adulthood and the first five years decisive in preventing weight gain.
The study tracked the body mass index for thousands of children in the Netherlands at the age of two, six, 10, 14 and 18, and found that each unit in the body mass index at the age of six is more than twice the child’s potential for weight gain or obesity in 18.
Research, presented at the European Conference obesity In málaga, children with weight gain who reached a healthier weight before they reached the sixth are no longer at greater risk of weight gain or later teenage obesity. But if they lose their weight after this age, they still have a high chance.
Of the 3528 young men, 32.3 % of excess weight or obesity at the age of two, with 22.3 % at the age of six, was considered 24.7 % at the age of 10 and 20.6 % at the age of 14.
Many of these children were still ranked as being overweight or obese at the age of 18.
“We need to understand how children grow and develop if we want to help future generations to grow more healthy and give each child an opportunity in a happy and healthy life,” said Yasmine de Groot, of the University of Erasmus University in Rotterdam.
She added: “The first five years of the child’s life provides a great opportunity to intervene and prevent them from being overweight and obesity in the coming years.”
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A separate research from the University of Bristol presented in Congress has found the number of adolescents who are overweight England It increased by 50 %, from 22 % in 2008-2010 to 33 % in 2021-2023.
“Over the past fifteen years, obesity has increased dramatically due to a mixture of increased consumption Very treated foodsStable lifestyles driven by excessive screen time, insufficient sleep, and High mental health challenges.
“In addition, the opportunities for physical activity and social and economic disparities have contributed to an environment that enhances unhealthy lifestyles.”
