Big Babies at Risk of Obesity Later

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Large infants or those who grow rapidly during infancy are at increased risk of obesity during childhood and adulthood, according to a report in the latest issue of the British Medical Journal.

Levels of overweight and obesity are increasing in all age groups, note Dr. Janis Baird, at the University of Southampton, UK and colleagues. Although interventions to prevent obesity are important, it is not clear how early in life prevention could begin.

To investigate, Baird and her associates identified 18 studies that assessed the relation between infant size and obesity, and 10 that examined the association between infant growth rate and obesity.

In six studies focusing on obesity up to age 10, four showed that infant size was significantly associated with obesity in childhood. Somewhat similar results were found in four of five studies evaluating outcome at ages 9 to 18 years.

Three of seven studies focusing on adulthood also indicated significant associations between infant size and later obesity.

When evaluating rate of infant growth, four of six studies found that growth rate correlated with obesity in childhood. Three of the other four studies demonstrated similar outcomes in adolescence and young adulthood.

For people born in developed countries between 1927 and 1994, the researchers observe, associations were consistent across a range of settings for obesity measured in childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, and over time.

The researchers say studies are needed to determine whether "interventions to alter infant growth to prevent obesity are likely to be associated with other benefits or harms."

SOURCE: British Medical Journal, online October 14, 2005.