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. 2016 Feb;11(1):75-80.
doi: 10.1111/ijpo.12039. Epub 2015 May 19.

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

E A Lundeen  1   2 , S A Norris  2 , L S Adair  2   3 , L M Richter  2   4 , A D Stein  2   5
Affiliations

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

E A Lundeen et al. Pediatr Obes. 2016 Feb.

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Body mass index; child growth; childhood overweight and obesity.

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