Key result
Having both parents overweight or obese was associated with increased odds of general (OR 2.66), simple abdominal (OR 1.72), and compound obesity (OR 4.04) in offspring.
Why the study?
Limited evidence exists regarding the influence of dietary behaviors on the intergenerational association of overweight and obesity between parents and offspring.
Do healthy dietary behaviors offset the association of overweight/obesity between parents and offspring?
Cross-Sectional (n=40,197)
Do healthy dietary behaviors offset the association of overweight/obesity between parents and offspring?
Odds Ratio: 2.66
Healthy dietary behaviors alone may partially offset but cannot completely overcome the high heritability and intergenerational transmission of childhood obesity caused by parental obesity.
Parental obesity may inform offspring risk assessment; hypothesis-generating from cross-sectional data and requires prospective validation.
Limited evidence exists on the influence of dietary behaviors on the association of overweight/obesity between parents and offspring. This study aimed to investigate the influence of dietary behaviors on the association of overweight/obesity between two generations, and puts forward strategies for preventing childhood obesity. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey conducted in China; a total of 40,197 parent-offspring pairs were included. Overweight/obesity was defined based on the body mass index and waist circumstance; the association of overweight/obesity between two generations was evaluated by multivariate and binary logistic regression and stratified analyses. Compared with the offspring who were free of parental overweight/obesity, the ORs of offspring with both parental overweight/obesity reached 2.66, 1.72 and 4.04 for general, simple abdominal and compound obesity. The offset effect of dietary behaviors was observed on the association between parental obesity and the offspring's general or simple abdominal obesity, with non-significant ORs when parents or/and offspring had healthy dietary behaviors. It was difficult for a healthy diet alone to offset the high heritability and intergenerational transmission of childhood obesity caused by parental obesity. Multifaceted improvement of lifestyle behaviors, and a combination of individual and family engagement, could be targeted measures to control childhood obesity.
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Ma et al. (2022) conducted a cross-sectional in Overweight and obesity (n=40,197). Both parental overweight/obesity vs. Offspring free of parental overweight/obesity was evaluated on Offspring general obesity (OR 2.66). Having both parents overweight or obese was associated with increased odds of general (OR 2.66), simple abdominal (OR 1.72), and compound obesity (OR 4.04) in offspring.
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