ABSTRACT Objectives This study aims to investigate the dynamic changes in the nutritional status of school‐age children in five cohorts with a two‐year follow‐up, encompassing a span of 7 years. Methods Utilizing a mixed longitudinal design, we implemented five cohorts with a two‐year follow‐up, encompassing a span of 7 years. The study's total sample comprised 101 school‐age children (51 females and 50 males), aged between 6 and 11 years at the commencement of the follow‐up. Anthropometric variables were obtained following standardized procedures. Subsequently, the Body Mass Index (BMI) was derived using the formula BMI = body mass (kg)/(height) 2 . Nutritional status was classified according to established cutoff points for age and sex. Results The prevalence rates for overweight, obesity, and underweight were found to be 22%, 10%, and 5%, respectively. Notably, the presence of overweight at the initiation of the follow‐up exhibited a significant association with the development of obesity after a two‐year period ( χ 2 = 5.325, p = 0.021). Furthermore, logistic regression analysis indicated that participants classified as “overweight” at the outset of the study were 4.7 times more likely (95% CI = 1.156–19.754) to develop obesity compared to their eutrophic counterparts. Conclusion The study establishes a clear link between overweight status and the medium‐term development of obesity in school‐age children, aged between 6 and 11 years. These findings underscore the need for early intervention strategies and targeted preventive measures to address this concerning health issue.
Nagafuchi et al. (Sun,) studied this question.