Family and Early Life Factors Associated With Changes in Overweight Status Between Ages 5 and 14 Years: Findings From The Mater University Study Of Pregnancy and its Outcomes

OBJECTIVE: To describe different patterns of overweight status between ages 5 and 14 y and examine the role of modifiable family and early life characteristics in explaining different patterns of change between these two ages. DESIGN: A population-based prospective birth cohort. SUBJECTS: A total of 2934 children (52 % males) who were participants in the Mater-University study of pregnancy, Brisbane, and who were examined at ages 5 and 14 y. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Four patterns of change in overweight/obesity status between ages 5 and 14 y: (i) normal at both ages; (ii) normal at 5 y and overweight/obese at 14 y; (iii) overweight/obese at 5 y and normal at 14 y; (iv) overweight / obese at both ages. RESULTS: Of the 2934 participants, 2018 (68.8%) had a normal body mass index (BMI) at ages 5 and 14 y, 425 (14.5%) changed from a normal BMI at age 5 y to overweight or obese at age 14 y, 175 (6.0%) changed from being overweight or obese at age 5 y to normal weight at age 14 y and 316 (10.8%) were overweight or obese at both ages 5 and 14 y. Girls were more likely to make the transition from overweight or obese at age 5 y to normal at 14 y than their boy counterparts. Children whose parent