Childhood obesity: rapid weight gain in early childhood and subsequentcardiometabolic risk

摘要

Dynamic changes in body weight have long been recognized as important indicators of riskfor human health. Many population-based observational studies have shown that rapid weightgain during infancy, including a catch-up growth phenomenon or adiposity rebound in earlychildhood, predisposes a person to the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes, andcardiovascular diseases later in life. However, a consensus has not been establishedregarding which period of weight gain contributes to future risks. This review evaluatesrecent evidence on the relationship between early rapid growth and future obesity andcardiometabolic risk, with a focus on the differential significance of rapid weight gainin infancy and early childhood. Although there is a need for attention to childhood growthduring early infancy before 1 yr of age as it may be related to future obesity, emergingevidence strongly suggests that toddlers showing an increase in body mass index (BMI)before 3 yr of age, a period normally characterized by decreased BMI, are prone todeveloping later cardiometabolic risk.