Sex differences in obesity incidence: 20-year prospective cohort in South Africa

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: E. A. Lundeen, affiliation; Shane Norris, Emory University; L. S. Adair, University of Witwatersrand; L. M. Richter, University of Witwatersrand; Aryeh Stein, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2016-02-01
• Publisher: Wiley
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2015 The Authors. Pediatric Obesity published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of World Obesity.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12039
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Pediatric Obesity
• ISSN: 2047-6310
• Volume: 11
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: 75
• End Page: 80
• Grant/Funding Information: The Birth‐to‐Twenty Study receives support from Wellcome Trust (UK), South African Medical Research Council, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, the Human Sciences Research Council and the UK MRC/DfID Africa Research Leader Scheme.; This work was supported by the Laney Graduate School, Emory University.
• Keywords: CHILDREN; childhood overweight and obesity; Body mass index; ADOLESCENTS; Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; UNITED-STATES; CHILDHOOD; child growth; OVERWEIGHT; Pediatrics
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Public Health; Health Sciences, General; Health Sciences, Epidemiology

Abstract

Pediatric Obesity published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of World Obesity. Background: Prospective data spanning childhood and adolescence are needed to better understand obesity incidence among children and to identify important periods for intervention. Objective: To describe gender differences in overweight and obesity from infancy to late adolescence in a South African cohort. Methods: We analysed body mass index at 1-2 years, 4-8 years, 11-12 years, 13-15 years and 16-18 years among 1172 participants in the South African Birth-to-Twenty cohort. Results: Among boys, overweight and obesity prevalence declined from age 1-2 years to 16-18 years. Among girls, overweight and obesity prevalence increased from 4-8 years to 16-18 years. Obesity incidence was highest from 4-8 years to 11-12 years in boys (6.8 cases per 1000 person-years) and from 11-12 years to 13-15 years in girls (11.2 cases per 1000 person-years). Among girls, obesity at 16-18 years was associated with overweight (odds ratio [OR] = 3.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.8-7.2) or obesity (OR = 8.0; 95% CI 3.7-17.6) at 1-2 years and overweight (OR = 6.8; 95% CI 3.3-13.9) or obesity (OR = 42.3; 95% CI 15.0-118.8) at 4-8 years; for boys, obesity at 16-18 years was associated with overweight at 1-2 years (OR = 5.6; 95% CI 1.7-18.0) and obesity at 4-8 years (OR = 19.7; 95% CI 5.1-75.9). Conclusions: Among girls, overweight and obesity increased throughout childhood. Overweight and obesity were not widely prevalent among boys. Early childhood and post-puberty may be important periods for intervention among girls.