AUTHOR=Börnhorst Claudia , Ahrens Wolfgang , De Henauw Stefaan , Hunsberger Monica , Molnár Denéz , Moreno Luis A. , Russo Paola , Schreuder Anton , Sina Elida , Tornaritis Michael , Vandevijvere Stefanie , Veidebaum Thomas , Vrijkotte Tanja , Wijnant Kathleen , Wolters Maike 

TITLE=Age-Specific Quantification of Overweight/Obesity Risk Factors From Infancy to Adolescence and Differences by Educational Level of Parents

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=68

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2023.1605798

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2023.1605798

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objectives:</bold> To explore the age-dependent associations between 26 risk factors and BMI in early life, and differences by parental educational level.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> Data of 10,310 children (24,155 measurements) aged 2–16 years participating in a multi-centre European cohort from 2007 to 2014 were utilized. Trajectories of overweight/obesity risk factors and their age-specific associations with BMI were estimated using polynomial mixed-effects models.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Exposure to most unfavourable factors was higher in the low/medium compared to the high education group, e.g., for PC/TV time (12.6 vs. 10.6 h/week). Trajectories of various risk factors markedly changed at an age of 9–11 years. Having a family history of obesity, maternal BMI, pregnancy weight gain and birth weight were positively associated with BMI trajectories throughout childhood/adolescence in both education groups; associations of behavioural factors with BMI were small. Parental unemployment and migrant background were positively associated with BMI in the low/medium education group.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> Associations of risk factors with BMI trajectories did not essentially differ by parental education except for social vulnerabilities. The age period of 9–11 years may be a sensitive period for adopting unfavourable behaviours.</p>