SOCIOECONOMIC-STATUS AND CHANGES IN BODY-MASS FROM 3 TO 5 YEARS

The influence of social status on the development of body mass was ana lysed in a retrospective cohort study of 675 Belgian children monitore d between the ages of 3 and 5 years by the preventive medical services in Brussels. At age 3, no association between excess weight and socia l status was observed. Adiposity rebound before age 5 was inversely re lated to body mass at age 3 and was independent of social status. The social influences on obesity observed in adolescence cannot be explain ed by a higher frequency of early adiposity rebound in children of low socioeconomic status.