A study led by Washington State University (WSU) has identified possible links between childhood obesity and whether a mother smoked before pregnancy.
The study found body mass index (BMI) patterns that could predict obesity, with findings published in Jama Network Open.
The research analyzed the BMI trajectories of over 9,400 children, finding that while most children follow a typical BMI development path, 11% showed atypical patterns linked to factors before pregnancy.
“The most distinct finding is that we can identify children on a path to obesity as early as age 3.5 years,” said Chang Liu, an assistant professor of psychology at WSU and the corresponding author of the new paper.
The study used data from the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program, covering from January 1997 to June 2024.
Children in the atypical BMI group were more likely to have mothers who smoked during pregnancy or had high pre-pregnancy BMI, according to a release from WSU.
The study said these children did not experience the typical BMI decline after their first year and began rapid weight gain by age 3.5, reaching an average BMI above the 99th percentile by age 9.
The study highlights the potential for early intervention, suggesting that identifying at-risk children by age 3.5 could help prevent obesity and its associated health risks.
The findings underscore the importance of early identification and intervention in preventing childhood obesity, with prenatal factors playing a significant role in determining BMI trajectories.
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