Big Babies Run the Risk of Obesity Later in Life
October 19, 2005
According to new research, babies who gain weight quickly are at a higher risk of becoming obese in later life. They have the natural tendency to put on weight. In a review of 24 studies in the British Medical Journal, it is suggested that a huge size in early life is very difficult to overcome, and in many cases remains constant throughout life.
Dr Janis Baird, of the University of Southampton, says they found that in the majority of studies, the infants who were heaviest or those with the highest body mass index (BMI), and those who gained weight more rapidly in the first two years of life were more at risk of obesity. Significantly it was also found that that this observation held true for obesity in childhood, adolescence and adulthood.
The researchers say that along with other evidence, the review suggests that both prenatal and infant growth trajectories may be important in predicting adult obesity. The authors also suggested that external factors during or before infancy, which play a role in the growth of the infant, also influence the development of obesity in later life.
Source:http://www.news-medical.net/?id=13800
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