Age-Specific Quantification of Overweight/Obesity Risk Factors From Infancy to Adolescence and Differences by Educational Level of Parents

Objectives: To explore the age-dependent associations between 26 risk factors and BMI in early life, and differences by parental educational level. Methods: Data of 10,310 children (24,155 measurements) aged 2–16 years participating in a multi-centre European cohort from 2007 to 2014 were utilized. Trajectories of overweight/obesity risk factors and their age-specific associations with BMI were estimated using polynomial mixed-effects models. Results: Exposure to most unfavourable factors was higher in the low/medium compared to the high education group, e.g., for PC/TV time (12.6 vs. 10.6 h/week). Trajectories of various risk factors markedly changed at an age of 9–11 years. Having a family history of obesity, maternal BMI, pregnancy weight gain and birth weight were positively associated with BMI trajectories throughout childhood/adolescence in both education groups; associations of behavioural factors with BMI were small. Parental unemployment and migrant background were positively associated with BMI in the low/medium education group. Conclusion: Associations of risk factors with BMI trajectories did not essentially differ by parental education except for social vulnerabilities. The age period of 9–11 years may be a sensitive period for adopting unfavourable behaviours.