Core Concepts
Children of parents with obesity are more likely to have obesity in middle age.
Abstract
The content discusses a study on the intergenerational transmission of obesity from parents to children, highlighting the increased risk of obesity in middle age if both parents were obese. The study, led by Mari Mikkelsen, analyzed data from the Tromsø Study, focusing on the relationship between parental and offspring BMI and obesity status. Key insights include:
- Study by Mari Mikkelsen on intergenerational obesity transmission.
- Data from the Tromsø Study with 2068 complete trios.
- Strong association between parents' and children's BMI in middle age.
- Increased odds of obesity in middle age if both parents were obese.
- Importance of prevention and treatment of obesity.
Stats
"The odds of having obesity in middle age are sixfold higher if both parents also had obesity in middle age."
"One SD (four units of BMI) increase in maternal and paternal BMI was associated with 0.80 and 0.74 units increase in their adult child's BMI, respectively."
"If both parents had obesity in middle age, their children had six times higher odds of living with obesity in middle age."
"When only the mother lived with obesity, the offspring had 3.44 times higher odds of living with obesity themselves."
"The corresponding number for fathers was 3.74."
Quotes
"Children whose parents lived with obesity are much more likely to be living with obesity themselves when they are in their 40s and 50s."
"Our findings show that the intergenerational transmission of obesity is also present in adulthood [middle-age] and underlines the importance of prevention and treatment of obesity."
"These results tell us that adults [of middle-age] tend to have higher BMI if their parents have higher BMI during middle age."