Cohort Study on risk factors for obesity in childhood

A growing pool of evidence points to the fact that chronic ailments such as obesity commence at life’s early stages. Early childhood facets and the intrauterine atmosphere potentially play a role in adulthood obesity onset via several pathways like prenatal diet, fetal metabolic programing, postnatal development, breast-feeding, infancy/toddlerhood behavior and adiposity rebound. The life-course theory’s abstract foundation stresses illness and health’s developmental origins, concentrating especially on long-run health impacts of fetal and babyhood exposures (Hu, 2008).

Of late, one can witness the alarming issue of the childhood obesity pandemic. It is alarming due to the fact that it has short- as well as long- run negative impacts. Risk factor determination forms the main solution to preventing it. While scant literature on childhood obesity risk factors can be found, experts are becoming increasingly aware of the significance of early life settings. However, hardly any risk factor identified is proven; most are only potential (Reilly et al. 2005).

This research work intends to determine and quantify obesity-related risk factors in case of seven-year-olds enrolled in ALSPAC (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents And Children). It deals with a huge current cohort wherein confounding factors are taken into consideration and likely risk factors concurrently examined. Only a priori suppositions-substantiated risk factors are considered for the research (Reilly et al. 2005).

The ALSPAC represents a longitudinal birth-based cohort research of factors governing growth, well-being and illness, in childhood and further life stages. Roughly five-hundred prenatal females will be approached for participation, with their babies constituting the initial cohort. Informed consent will be acquired from parents, in writing. Information will be acquired via parent questionnaires, biological samples and health records. A random subsample of participant children between the ages of four months and five years (participating from half a year previously) will be chosen and requested to be brought in for the purpose of routine physical tests. After seven years of age, the tests will be conducted on the entire cohort (Reilly et al. 2005).

Body mass index (BMI, which is weight (kilograms) / height (m2)) will be computed for identifying obese and overweight children and normal weight ones (the control group), in line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) gender and age based growth chart. Additionally, a structured questionnaire will facilitate the acquisition of demographic data and information pertaining to participant exposure to everyday physical exercise within school and home settings, mother’s educational qualification, parental height and weight, time devoted to TV and video games, and numerous other risk factors (Bhuiyan, Zaman & Ahmed, 2013).

An obesity prevention-focused life-course plan necessitates identifying relevant risk factors over diverse stages of life, such as fetal exposure, breastfeeding, parental impacts, school atmosphere and transition into adulthood. A number of birth cohort researches have aimed at exploring age-specific obesity and related chronic ailments’ risk factors. Their findings have proven especially helpful in the determination of babyhood/childhood obesity risk factors that may subsequently be utilized for driving preventive endeavors in critical growth stages (Hu, 2008). This cohort research will give emphasis to identifying the risk factors outlined below, based on literature review:

Pre- and peri- natal elements- Increasing weight at birth has been linked linearly and autonomously to increased obesity rate by seven years. Further, obesity at this age has been linked significantly to expecting women smoking from 28 to 32 weeks’ gestation (Reilly et al. 2005).

Breastfeeding and weaning –Exclusive breastfeeding’s evident protective impact against obesity by the age of seven years, noted after univariable assessment, continues even when one takes into consideration breastfeeding accompanied by other weaning and feeding practice factors (Reilly et al. 2005)

Familial traits and demographics- Obesity likelihood at seven years of age was greater if one of the parents of the child was obese; an even greater risk was identified in case of both parents being obese (Reilly et al. 2005)

Early childhood lifestyle – duration of sleep among thirty-month-old toddlers was linked autonomously to obesity incidence by the age of 7 years (Reilly et al. 2005).

Sedentary behavior- The obesity likelihood ratio was found to undergo a linear increase with increase in number of TV-viewing hours (Reilly et al. 2005)