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ORIGINS

ORIGINS Childhood Obesity

This sub-project will be using ORIGINS data to explore the risk and protective factors of obesity from birth to early childhood.

Childhood obesity often persists into adulthood and increases the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and psychological disorders. 

Although childhood obesity is extensively researched, a gap remains in longitudinal studies comprehensively examining early predictors using rich, multidimensional data collected from birth through to early childhood.

There is a pressing need for well-designed studies integrating biological, behavioural, and environmental factors to understand the developmental origins of obesity.

This project aims to address this gap by leveraging current data from ORIGINS by answering: 

  1. What patterns of childhood obesity are seen in the ORIGINS cohort from birth to 5 years? 
  2. What are the factors (protective and risk) that would predict obesity in the ORIGINS cohort within the 0-5 year age group? 

Exploring these predictors could yield substantial insights, informing targeted interventions. In addition, results from this study may promote healthier growth trajectories and reduce the lifelong burden of associated chronic diseases. 

The sub-project's objectives include: 

  1. What is the relationship between childhood obesity measures i.e. Body Mass Index z-score, PeaPod and BodPod scores at 3 and 5 years of age, and are there differences between the sexes?
  2. Does infant BMI z-score or body composition predict 3 and 5 year old BMI z-score or body composition, and are there differences between the sexes?
  3. What are the longitudinal trends/trajectories for BMI z-score from 1, 3, and 5 years of age for boys and girls?
  4. What are the longitudinal trends/trajectories for body composition from birth, 3, and 5 years of age for boys and girls?
  5. Do mothers with a healthy BMI weight vs unhealthy BMI weigh predict the trajectory for childhood BMI z-score or body
  6. What mothers factors (exercise, screen use, physical activity, diet, mental health) are associated with childhood BMI or body composition
  7. What childhood factors (sleep, screen use, activity levels, diet, mental health) are associated with childhood BMI or body composition

Investigators

  • Dr Sarah Whalan, ORIGINS Databank Manager at The Kids Research Institute Australia 
  • Dr Poonam Pannu, ORIGINS Research Officer at The Kids Research Institute Australia 
  • Natasha Bear, Biostatician at Natasha Bear Statistics
  • Avril Bezant, ORIGINS Databank Coordinator at The Kids Research Institute Australia 
  • Chloe Babis, student at Curtin University