Having two parents with obesity increases odds sixfold for obesity during adulthood
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Key takeaways:
- Adults are 3 times more likely to develop obesity if one parent had obesity vs. normal weight.
- Odds for obesity in adulthood were 6 times higher for people with two parents with obesity.
Children who have two parents with obesity are six times more likely to develop obesity as adults than those who have two parents with normal weight, according to findings that will be presented at the European Congress on Obesity.
“From previous research, we know that obesity is passed on from parents to their children and adolescents. However, few studies have investigated this association when offsprings are well into adulthood,” Mari Mikkelsen, MSc, a PhD fellow in the department of community medicine at UiT Arctic University of Norway and a clinical dietitian at the University Hospital of North Norway, told Healio. “With this background knowledge, it was not surprising to see an association, but that the numbers would be that large was not a foregone conclusion.”
Mikkelsen and colleagues analyzed data from the Tromsø Study. Adults aged 40 to 59 years who attended the seventh survey of the Tromsø Study in 2015 to 2016 and had both parents complete the fourth survey of the study at age 40 to 59 years in 1994 to 1995 were included. BMI was collected for both offspring and parents. Obesity was defined as a BMI of at least 30 kg/m2.
There were 2,068 adults who completed the 2015 to 2016 Tromsø Study survey and had both parents complete the 1994 to 1995 survey. After adjusting for covariates, each 1 standard deviation, or 4 U increase, in maternal BMI was associated with a 0.8 U increase in BMI for offspring (95% CI, 0.6-1). Similarly, each 1 standard deviation, or 3.1 U increase, in paternal BMI was linked to a 0.74 U increase in offspring BMI (95% CI, 0.55-0.93).
The odds for having obesity during adulthood were more than threefold higher for people who had only a mother with obesity (OR = 3.44; 95% CI, 2.31-5.11) and those who had only a father with obesity (OR = 3.74; 95% CI, 2.54-5.5) compared with people who had two parents with normal weight. The odds for developing obesity were even higher for people who had two parents with obesity vs. two parents with normal weight (OR = 6.01; 95% CI, 2.85-12.66).
“These findings underline the importance of early prevention and treatment of obesity,” Mikkelsen said. “It is important for clinicians to be aware of the strong association, as well as the extent of familial obesity. There is also a large responsibility in society when it comes to promoting a healthy lifestyle, including physical activity and a healthy diet. We know from previous research that individuals with a genetic predisposition of obesity are much more at risk when encountering obesogenic environments.”
Mikkelsen said future research, including intervention studies, should examine specific factors that may help reduce the risk of complications for adults with obesity.
Reference:
Is obesity passed down the generations? Individuals are much more likely to be living with obesity in middle age if their parents were living with obesity, Norwegian research finds. Available at: www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1036801. Published March 7, 2024. Accessed March 14, 2024.
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Mikkelsen M, et al. Abstract 572. Presented at: European Congress on Obesity; May 12-15, 2024; Venice, Italy.
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