The Development Trajectory of Overweight and Obesity in American Children and Adolescents (interaction with Social Development)

Abstract

Background: The high prevalence rate of childhood and adolescent obesity has thrown a global threat over the past few decades. This  situation has propelled scientists towards searching for definite biological and social factors resulting in obesity so that stable and  appropriate preventive strategies can be established in early life. 

Objective: The aim of this research was to identify subgroups that  exhibit distinct patterns of weight gain throughout different stages of life and to investigate the potential causes of the early onset of  obesity in childhood and early adulthood. 

Methods: The child survey was mediated by a group of trained interviewers to assess and  evaluate each child with their mothers and their family’s environment. Mothers were thoroughly informed, and they signed the consent  papers; moreover, the willingness of children was also recorded. For statistical analysis, the Hierarchical Generalized Linear Modeling  (HGLM) method (developed using HLM software) was applied to study the longitudinal effect on developmental obesity trajectory.  

Results: Results clearly indicate that maternal obesity, smoking, and alcohol consumption in pregnancy directly exert an effect on the  growing trajectory of BMI. These responses are important proof of the perinatal environment influencing the onset of obesity. The  findings say that characteristics of the environment and genetic factors may contribute, but excessive maternal weight and smoking in  pregnancy are important predictors of childhood and adolescent obesity. Smoking of the mother is suspected of limiting the growth of  the fetus, which leads to low birth weight, which causes uncontrolled and fast development, and thus obesity occurs, known as  compensatory rapid postnatal growth. 

Discussion: Factors such as maternal obesity, smoking and alcohol consumption during  pregnancy, low maternal educational attainment, and lack of breastfeeding in infants have been identified as contributors to the  increased prevalence of childhood and adolescent obesity. 

Conclusion: The outcomes of this study clearly allude that these advanced risk  factors must be controlled, and thus, these must be taken into account while designing preventive interventions.