Obesity in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Study Highlights Causes and Consequences

A comprehensive study recently conducted in Germany and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, one of the world's leading medical journals, corroborates the conclusion reached by previous studies: there is a connection between early life weight and adult weight.

This extensive study included 50,000 children, tracking them from birth to adulthood. The study examined the following points: the implications of weight in early life on weight in adulthood, when the acceleration in weight gain begins, and the critical age that determines future weight.

During the study, the children's weight and height data were examined, based on which their BMI was calculated. When the children reached adulthood, they were categorized into groups: underweight, normal weight, overweight, and extreme overweight.

The study's findings were unequivocal: most of the subjects remained throughout their lives in the same weight category they were categorized in at age 5. In other words, most youths who suffered from extreme overweight already experienced extreme overweight or overweight at age 5. Conversely, youths who had a normal weight were mostly those whose weight was normal throughout their childhood, without changes or deviations.

The study indicates that the most significant age in the obesity process is between two and six years old. According to the results, boys who were overweight at age two but not thereafter were mostly of normal weight in adulthood. However, 90% of children with extreme overweight at age three became teenagers with overweight or extreme overweight.

The study also pointed out that children born to mothers with overweight or extreme overweight tended to have a higher body weight at birth, and subsequently a higher BMI than children whose mothers were of normal weight or underweight. Additionally, infants born with higher weight tended to have a high BMI throughout their childhood and adolescence.

The study suggests that children at risk of obesity are those born with high birth weight, children of mothers with overweight or extreme overweight; or children experiencing an unusual increase in BMI between ages two to six - even if they are not yet in the overweight or extreme overweight groups at this stage.

The researchers recommend developing an intervention program at an early age and instilling in at-risk children habits that will alter their future obesity. It's important to maintain a proper diet: limit foods high in fat, sugar, and salt, and offer fruits and vegetables instead of snacks. It's also important to increase physical activity: go to parks and gardens, dance at home, etc., rather than lounging in front of the TV or computer. In this way, genetic factors can be overcome to create a normal body weight or at least slow down weight gain.

As a reminder, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, parents should not talk about weight, diet, and calories but only encourage children to lead a healthy lifestyle. Parents should explain to children the importance of food and physical activity and not refer to the child's weight and body shape.

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