In a longitudinal study that tracked BMI from early life, most children with obesity at age 3 years had overweight or obesity by adolescence. Of adolescents with obesity, ~50% were affected by overweight or obesity from age 5 years onwards, and the most rapid increase in BMI had occurred between 2 and 6 years of age.
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Baur, L.A., Garnett, S.P. Early childhood — a critical period for obesity prevention. Nat Rev Endocrinol 15, 5–6 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-018-0131-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-018-0131-0
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