Disease Patterns Across the Life Course by Childhood BMI Group

ABSTRACT Objective Most studies have investigated how childhood BMI impacts risks of single diseases. We investigated whether sex‐specific patterns of disease diagnoses from ages 15 to 60 years differed by childhood BMI. Methods We included 112,952 children (55,603 girls) from the Copenhagen School Health Records Register, born 1962–1996, with measured weights and heights. BMI at 7 years was classified as underweight (4.3%), normal weight (83.1%), overweight (9.2%), or obesity (3.5%). Hospital‐based diagnoses came from national registers. Sex‐specific cumulative incidences were calculated for the 50 most frequent diseases per BMI group. Results Individuals with childhood obesity had the highest estimated mean number of hospital‐based diagnoses by age 60, 18.2 (95% CI: 16.9–19.5) in females and 15.1 (13.8–16.4) in males. Corresponding estimates for normal weight were 14.7 (14.5–14.9) in females and 11.7 (11.5–11.8) in males. Among females and males with obesity in childhood, the most common diagnosis before age 60 years was adult overweight/obesity (36.4% and 11.8%, respectively). There were only minor differences for other diseases by childhood BMI categories. Conclusions Adults with obesity in childhood had the highest number of hospital‐based diagnoses. Disease patterns across the life course were generally similar by childhood BMI groups apart from adult overweight and obesity. image