Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine tracking patterns of body mass index (BMI), triceps skinfold thickness (TSF), height and weight from childhood to young adulthood in a rapidly developing society.
DESIGN:
Prospective 12-year cohort study of the Slovenian children, born during 1990-1991.
SUBJECTS:
A subsample of 4 833 Slovenian children from the 1990-1991 national cohort (n = 21 777) who were included in the SLOFIT monitoring system from 1997 to 2008, with complete data at age 7 and 18 y.
MEASUREMENTS:
Height, weight and TSF were measured at ages 7, 11, 14 and 18 y. The IOTF BMI cutoff points were used to identify overweight and obesity.
RESULTS:
Height, weight, and BMI at age 18 y were well predicted from childhood and grew more predictable with age, while TSF was not. Obese and overweight children had the greatest risk of becoming overweight or obese young adults, since tracking of overweight and obesity showed that 53.9% of overweight and 77.7% of obese 7-y old males remained overweight or obese at age 18 y in comparison with 32.1% of overweight and 62% of obese 7-y old females. History of obese 18-y olds showed that 40% of males and 48.6% of females had been obese already at age 7 y.
CONCLUSION:
The study confirmed the tracking of BMI from childhood to young adulthood. Overweight or obese Slovenian children are very likely to become overweight or obese adolescents and young adults, which calls for the need of early prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity.
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Starc, G., Strel, J. Tracking patterns of body mass index and triceps skinfold thickness from childhood to young adulthood: a 12-year prospective cohort study in Slovenia. Nat Prec (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/npre.2009.2902.1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/npre.2009.2902.1