Headstart on obesity

Article Outline

• Copyright

Obesity is a major health problem for this generation of patients and those that provide their care. Conventional wisdom suggests that coincident with pubertal changes is the onset of weight gain “creep” that persists throughout adolescence and into adulthood. In this issue of The Journal, Crimmins et al investigated changes in adolescent BMI over the course of a 4 year longitudinal study in an effort to document stability versus change in BMI and to document whether subgroups of adolescents stratified by variables such as race, sex, and pubertal status were at risk for increases in BMI Z score. The authors demonstrated stability in adiposity in all but one subgroup. They concluded that the high baseline prevalence of overweight in their subjects combined with the overall stability of overweight on follow-up suggests that gains in adiposity occur prior to adolescence. They suggest that the critical window for primary prevention of obesity is in early childhood rather than adolescence. As intervention programs are designed focusing on weight issues, the earlier the better seems to be the mantra for getting a “head start” on obesity.

• 
  • View Large Image
  • Download to PowerPoint