Is childhood obesity associated with adult obesity later in life?

Studies by Professor Jane Wardle and her team on nearly 6,000 children in Britain over five years showed that children who are overweight or obese by the age of 11 are likely to be obese into adulthood. Obesity as adults is associated with related health problems, which may include:

• Hypertension
• Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
• Type 2 diabetes
• Coronary heart disease
• Stroke
• Gallbladder disease
• Osteoarthritis
• Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
• Some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)

According to Professor Jane Wardle, “children who joined the study at age 11 and were already plump did not slim down at all over the five years of follow-up."

“I think society as a whole needs to take childhood obesity much more seriously,” she added.

[link to article]

Wardle J. Understanding the aetiology of childhood obesity: implications for treatment. Proc Nutr Soc. 2005 Feb;64(1):73-9. Review. [link]