The excess weight of 0 to 7 year-old children - risk factors

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the weight trends of the children in Gipuzkoa from birth to 7 years of age, taking into consideration the influence of parental anthropometric and sociodemographic characteristics. The subjects of this study were 450 mother-child pairs of the INMA Gipuzkoa cohort. Based on Body Mass Index (BMI) measurements at birth, and at 1, 4 and 7 years, excess weight (EW), overweight and obesity, was defined as ≥90 percentile at birth, and ≥85 percentile at remaining ages. The anthropometric variables of children and parents, type of breastfeeding, food questionnaire at age 4, parental smoking habits during pregnancy and socioeconomic variables were analysed. A logistic regression model was used. At birth 11% of children had EW, 49% at age 1, 36% at age 4 and 38% at age 7. Heavy birth-weight and rapid growth during the first year were associated with EW in subsequent years. Girls at ages 4 and 7 showed a greater risk of EW than boys. Breastfeeding was not significantly associated with EW. EW increased with the satieted consumption of proteins and carbohydrates at age 4 and of carbohydrates and saturated fats at age 7. Parity increased the risk of EW at birth. Parental BMI was associated with children’s EW at all ages. The low educational level of the father and the non-native origin of the mother were associated with EW at birth and at age 4, respectively. The risk of EW increased among father smokers, but not among mother smokers. The prevalence of EW is very high in children. Effective measures should be taken to address this important health problem.