Childhood obesity may accelerate timing of human facial growth.

Objective: We hypothesize that childhood obesity influences both facial and mandibular size and form in children and adolescents.

Design: Pre-treatment records of patients (n = 181; 86 males, 95 females) from the Department of Orthodontics at the University of Illinois at Chicago representing six different ancestry groups (Asian, African-American, Caucasian Non-Hispanic, Hispanic, Multiracial, Unknown) were reviewed retrospectively. Body mass index (BMI) scores and categories were calculated using the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.