Determinants of Risk for Childhood Obesity

The body-fat content of a healthy full-term infant rises sharply from 10 to 14% at birth to 25 to 30% at 6 months of age,1 with a consequent 30% increase in the body-mass index (BMI). The accrual of body fat during infancy correlates with, and may be required for, normal linear growth, brain development, and cognitive function.2 After peaking at 6 to 12 months of age, the BMI normally declines to a nadir at 5 to 6 years of age and then “rebounds,” rising progressively throughout late childhood and adolescence. Numerous studies have shown that an early or exaggerated “adiposity . . .