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Maternal nutrition, infants and children

Obesity in adolescence is associated with perinatal risk factors, parental BMI and sociodemographic characteristics

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 67, pages 115–121 (2013)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/objective:

To record the prevalence of overweight and obesity in primary-school children in relation to perinatal risk factors, parental body mass index and sociodemographics.

Subjects/methods:

A sample of 2294 schoolchildren aged 9–13 years was examined in municipalities from four Greek counties. Weight and height were measured using standard procedures, whereas international thresholds were used for the definition of overweight and obesity. Perinatal and parental data were also recorded via standardized questionnaires.

Results:

The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 30.5% and 11.6%, respectively, with a higher prevalence of obesity in boys compared with girls (13.7% vs 9.5%, P<0.02). Maternal smoking at pregnancy (odds ratio (OR) 1.37; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05–1.98), rapid infant weight gain (OR 1.69; 95% CI 1.20–2.38), paternal and maternal obesity (OR 2.25; 95% CI 1.45–3.48 and OR 2.14; 95% CI 1.28–3.60) were found to significantly increase the odds of children’s obesity (apart from overweight), whereas Greek nationality (OR 1.06; 95% CI 1.01–1.39) was found to significantly increase only the odds of children’s overweight. Maternal pre-pregnancy obesity (OR 2.15; 95% CI 1.27–3.70) and introduction of solid foods at weaning later than 5 months of life (OR 1.60; 95% CI 1.02–2.51) were also found to increase the likelihood of childhood obesity. On the contrary, children having older fathers (OR 0.55; 95% CI 0.37–0.80) or more educated mothers (OR 0.57; 95% CI 0.36–0.90) were less likely to be obese.

Conclusions:

The current study identified certain perinatal factors (that is, maternal pre-pregnancy obesity, maternal smoking at pregnancy, rapid infant weight gain and late introduction of solid foods at weaning) and parental characteristics (that is, younger fathers, Greek nationality, less educated and overweight parents) as important risk factors for children’s overweight and obesity, indicating the multifactorial nature of their etiology and the need to extend our understanding beyond positive energy equilibrium.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the ‘Healthy Growth Study’ group for the valuable contribution to the completion of the study.

Author contributions

All authors contributed writing and revising the manuscript. GM and YM were responsible of the design of the study. MB, GM, VM and YM were responsible for data collection and management.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    M Birbilis, G Moschonis & Y Manios

  2. Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

    V Mougios

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on behalf of the ‘Healthy Growth Study’ group

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Correspondence to Y Manios.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Appendix

Appendix

Healthy Growth Study Group

  1. 1

    Harokopio University Research Team/Department of Nutrition and Dietetics: Yannis Manios (Coordinator), George Moschonis (Project manager), Katerina P Skenderi, Evangelia Grammatikaki, Odysseas Androutsos, Sofia Tanagra, Alexandra Koumpitski, Paraskevi-Eirini Siatitsa, Anastasia Vandorou, Aikaterini-Efstathia Kyriakou, Vasiliki Dede, Maria Kantilafti, Aliki-Eleni Farmaki, Aikaterini Siopi, Sofia Micheli, Louiza Damianidi, Panagiota Margiola, Despoina Gakni, Vasiliki Iatridi, Christina Mavrogianni, Kelaidi Michailidou, Aggeliki Giannopoulou, Efstathoula Argyri, Konstantina Maragkopoulou, Maria Spyridonos, Eirini Tsikalaki, Panagiotis Kliasios, Anthi Naoumi, Konstantinos Koutsikas, Katerina Kondaki, Epistimi Aggelou, Zoi Krommyda, Charitini Aga, Manolis Birbilis, Ioanna Kosteria, Amalia Zlatintsi, Elpida Voutsadaki, Eleni-Zouboulia Papadopoulou, Zoi Papazi, Maria Papadogiorgakaki, Fanouria Chlouveraki, Maria Lyberi, Nora Karatsikaki-Vlami, Eva Dionysopoulou and Efstratia Daskalou.

  2. 2

    Aristotle University of Thessaloniki/School of Physical Education and Sports Sciences: Vassilis Mougios, Anatoli Petridou, Konstantinos Papaioannou, Georgios Tsalis, Ananis Karagkiozidis, Konstantinos Bougioukas, Afroditi Sakellaropoulou and Georgia Skouli.

  3. 3

    University of Athens/Medical School: George P Chrousos, Maria Drakopoulou, Evangelia Charmandari and Panagiota Pervanidou.

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Birbilis, M., Moschonis, G., Mougios, V. et al. Obesity in adolescence is associated with perinatal risk factors, parental BMI and sociodemographic characteristics. Eur J Clin Nutr 67, 115–121 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2012.176

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