Formula predicts obesity in children

A simple assessment can predict at birth a baby’s likelihood of becoming obese during childhood, scientists said.

The formula, available as an online calculator, estimates the child’s obesity risk based on his or her birth weight, the body mass index of the parents, the number of people in the household, the mother’s professional status and whether she smoked during pregnancy.

Researchers who published a study of the test in the journal PLoS One say they hope it will be used to identify babies at high risk and help families take steps to stop them from putting on too much weight.

Childhood obesity is a leading cause of early Type 2 diabetes, as well as various types of cardiovascular disease, and is becoming increasingly common in developed countries.

According to data from the American Heart Association, almost18 percent of boys and almost 16 percent of girls ages 2 to 19 in the United States are obese. In England, 17 percent of boys and15 percent of girls 2to15 are obese, according to National Health Service data.

Dr. Philippe Froguel of Imperial College London and his team developed the The calculator that predicts a baby’s likelihood of developing childhood obesity is at: bit.ly/Y5GYtO. formula using data from a study set up in 1986 following 4,000 children born in Finland.

They were initially investigating whether obesity risk could be assessed using genetic profiles, but the test they developed based on common genetic variations failed to make accurate predictions.

The formula based on nongenetic information proved accurate not just in the Finnish children they studied, but also in further tests using data from studies in Italy and the United States.