Can a Baby's Growth Pattern Predict Obesity? Study Sheds Light
A new study published in JAMA Network Open by the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program reveals that early changes in body weight may predict a child's risk of developing obesity by age 9. Funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the study tracked the BMI (body mass index) of 9,483 children across the United States from infancy through age 9, identifying two distinct growth patterns.
Researchers used longitudinal data from medical records, caregiver reports, and in-person and at-home measurements to track BMI changes and identify early signs of risk. The children were part of the national ECHO Cohort, a large-scale effort to understand environmental influences on child health.
Most children (89.4%) followed a typical BMI curve, which declined from ages 1 to 6 before gradually increasing. However, 10.6% of children exhibited an atypical pattern, where BMI remained steady between ages 1 and 3.5 and then rose sharply through age 9. This group was found to have a significantly higher likelihood of obesity by age 9, with an average BMI exceeding the 99th percentile.
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