Body Weight Changes During Childhood and Predictors of Excessive Body Weight in Adolescence-A Longitudinal Analysis.

Abnormal body weight, including overweight and obesity, is a common health problem affecting children and adolescents. The present study aimed to analyse weight changes in children from preschool age to adolescence and to identify early predictors of excessive weight in adolescence, such as blood pressure and physical fitness observed in preschool children. Data from 3075 children (1524 girls and 1594 boys), collected as part of the Gdańsk Centre for Health Promotion's "Your Child's Healthy Life" programme, were analysed, with each child assessed at ages 6, 10, and 14.