New Study: BMI can help predict baby’s risk of becoming obese

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A new study by The Endocrine Society has found that BMI measurements above the 85th percentile at six, twelve or eighteen months is a strong predictor of severe obesity by age six in a child’s life.

The study looked at nearly 4,000 children determining their body mass index (BMI), and found that high BMI’s measured between six and eighteen months of age accurately predicted which infants were more prone to have early-childhood obesity.

A portion of the children, 2, 649 were from a highly Latino population from Aurora, Colo., which had an increased chance of severe obesity at age 6 by threefold to nine-fold.

Latino kids are more likely to be at risk for diet related diseases like diabetes and obesity, studies show.

It is recommended by the researchers of this group that pediatricians routinely measure BMI at infant well-child exams, beginning at six months.

To learn more about this study, click here.