BIRTH-WEIGHT AND OBESITY AT AGE 6 - ANALY SIS OF GROWTH-CURVES FOR A POPULATION OF SCHOOL-CHILDREN

The weight and height data of 9261 children from birth onwards were ga thered on their admission to primary school in 1989 in the area of Lyo n, and compared to French references. In comparison with the latter da ta, the weight and height for age were found to be higher, and there w as an excess of children with a high weight for height. The weight for height was higher than the mean of the reference distribution plus tw o standard deviations in 6.2% of the children. Birth hypertrophy incre ased the risk of obesity at age six. A new criterion of neonatal hyper trophy, taking various constitutional characteristics into account, wa s found to be associated to a twofold risk of subsequent obesity, and was shown to be more appropriate in predicting subsequent obesity than classical definitions based on the weight or on the weight for gestat ional age or sex.