11-05-2025
Child's BMI aged six predicts likelihood of obesity as an adult
A child's weight at the age of six is crucial to determining their likelihood of being obese as an adult, new research has found.
Experts said that the first five years of a child's life were the most important for giving them a 'chance at a happy, healthy life'.
A study analysing 3,528 children in the Netherlands found that every one-unit increase in body mass index (BMI) at age six more than doubled a child's odds of being overweight or obese at 18, and was a better predictor of obesity than any other point in childhood.
• How to stop your teens (and yourself) eating ultra-processed foods
The findings, presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Malaga, Spain, demonstrated the importance of healthy environments
