Obesity in urban black adolescents of high and low relative weight at 1 year of age
F. E. Johnston and R. W. Mack
The prevalence of obesity was determined in 789 9 to 15-year-old
Philadelphia subjects who had either a high (+1 SD) or a low (-1, SD)
relative weight at 1 year of age. During the adolescent years, obesity was
assessed by the triceps skin-fold thickness and by the relative weight,
using national reference standards from the US Health Examination Survey.
The prevalence of obesity for the high relative weight group at 1 year of
age was three to four times higher than in the low relative weight group at
1 year of age. Compared with all urban youth of this age range, regardless
of their status at 1 year of age, it is estimated that the risk ratio
associated with a high relative weight at 1 year of age is approximately
1.6.
