Early life factors and being overweight at 4 years of age among children in Malmö, Sweden

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Rising rates of obesity and overweight is an increasing public health problem all over the world. Recent research has shown the importance of early life factors in the development of child overweight. However, to the best of our know...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lindström Martin, Mangrio Elisabeth, Rosvall Maria
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2010-12-01
Series:BMC Public Health
Online Access:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/10/764
_version_ 1818262601617899520
author Lindström Martin
Mangrio Elisabeth
Rosvall Maria
author_facet Lindström Martin
Mangrio Elisabeth
Rosvall Maria
author_sort Lindström Martin
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Rising rates of obesity and overweight is an increasing public health problem all over the world. Recent research has shown the importance of early life factors in the development of child overweight. However, to the best of our knowledge there are no studies investigating the potential synergistic effect of early life factors and presence of parental overweight on the development of child overweight.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was population-based and cross-sectional. The study population consisted of children who visited the Child Health Care (CHC) centers in Malmö for their 4-year health check during 2003-2008 and whose parents answered a self-administered questionnaire (n = 9009 children).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results showed that having overweight/obese parents was strongly associated with the child being overweight or obese. Furthermore, there was an association between unfavorable early life factors (i.e., mother smoking during pregnancy, presence of secondhand tobacco smoke early in life, high birth weight) and the development of child overweight/obesity at four years of age, while breastfeeding seemed to have a protective role. For example, maternal smoking during pregnancy was associated with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.47 (95% CI: 1.22, 1.76) for overweight and 2.31 (95% CI: 1.68, 3.17) for obesity. The results further showed synergistic effects between parental overweight and exposure to unfavourable early life factors in the development of child overweight.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The present study shows the importance of early life factors in the development of child overweight and obesity, and thus puts focus on the importance of early targeted interventions.</p>
first_indexed 2024-12-12T19:05:43Z
format Article
id doaj.art-068f7072dc354a18bdd1a56c0b0b8d3b
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1471-2458
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-12T19:05:43Z
publishDate 2010-12-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Public Health
spelling doaj.art-068f7072dc354a18bdd1a56c0b0b8d3b2022-12-22T00:14:57ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582010-12-0110176410.1186/1471-2458-10-764Early life factors and being overweight at 4 years of age among children in Malmö, SwedenLindström MartinMangrio ElisabethRosvall Maria<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Rising rates of obesity and overweight is an increasing public health problem all over the world. Recent research has shown the importance of early life factors in the development of child overweight. However, to the best of our knowledge there are no studies investigating the potential synergistic effect of early life factors and presence of parental overweight on the development of child overweight.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was population-based and cross-sectional. The study population consisted of children who visited the Child Health Care (CHC) centers in Malmö for their 4-year health check during 2003-2008 and whose parents answered a self-administered questionnaire (n = 9009 children).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results showed that having overweight/obese parents was strongly associated with the child being overweight or obese. Furthermore, there was an association between unfavorable early life factors (i.e., mother smoking during pregnancy, presence of secondhand tobacco smoke early in life, high birth weight) and the development of child overweight/obesity at four years of age, while breastfeeding seemed to have a protective role. For example, maternal smoking during pregnancy was associated with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.47 (95% CI: 1.22, 1.76) for overweight and 2.31 (95% CI: 1.68, 3.17) for obesity. The results further showed synergistic effects between parental overweight and exposure to unfavourable early life factors in the development of child overweight.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The present study shows the importance of early life factors in the development of child overweight and obesity, and thus puts focus on the importance of early targeted interventions.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/10/764
spellingShingle Lindström Martin
Mangrio Elisabeth
Rosvall Maria
Early life factors and being overweight at 4 years of age among children in Malmö, Sweden
BMC Public Health
title Early life factors and being overweight at 4 years of age among children in Malmö, Sweden
title_full Early life factors and being overweight at 4 years of age among children in Malmö, Sweden
title_fullStr Early life factors and being overweight at 4 years of age among children in Malmö, Sweden
title_full_unstemmed Early life factors and being overweight at 4 years of age among children in Malmö, Sweden
title_short Early life factors and being overweight at 4 years of age among children in Malmö, Sweden
title_sort early life factors and being overweight at 4 years of age among children in malmo sweden
url http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/10/764
work_keys_str_mv AT lindstrommartin earlylifefactorsandbeingoverweightat4yearsofageamongchildreninmalmosweden
AT mangrioelisabeth earlylifefactorsandbeingoverweightat4yearsofageamongchildreninmalmosweden
AT rosvallmaria earlylifefactorsandbeingoverweightat4yearsofageamongchildreninmalmosweden