Résumé :
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[BDSP. Notice produite par INIST-CNRS EHr8R0xA. Diffusion soumise à autorisation]. Markers of growth and changes of body mass index (BMI) are associated with adult chronic disease risk. To better understand such associations, the authors examined the 1946 (n=5,300) and 1958 (n=17,000) British birth cohorts to establish how child-to-adult height and BMI have changed across generations. Individuals born in 1958 were no heavier at birth than those born in 1946, but they were taller in childhood by about 1 cm on average, grew faster thereafter, and were 3-4 cm taller by adolescence. The 1958 cohort achieved adult height earlier and were taller by 1 cm, an increase that was entirely due to their longer leg length. BMI trajectories diverged from early adulthood, with a faster rate of BMI gain in the 1958 cohort than in the 1946 cohort, although the mean BMI at 7 years and rate of childhood gain had not shown an increase. By mid adulthood, the 1958 cohort had on average a greater BMI (1-2 kg/m2), larger waist (6-7 cm) and hip (5 cm) circumferences, and a higher prevalence of obesity (25.1% vs. 10.8% in males and 23.7% vs. 14.8% in females). Changes in height and adiposity over a relatively short period of 12 years suggest the likelihood of opposing trends of influences on later disease risk in these populations.
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