Do obese children become obese adults: childhood predictors of adult disease.

Obesity is a multifactorial disorder influenced by genetic, behavioral, environmental and cultural factors. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in young people is increasing rapidly in both the developed and developing world and are considered today as a global epidemic. Recent studies show that obesity in adult life is heralded at birth and factors such as birth weight, adiposity rebound, socioeconomic status, early maturation and genetic predisposition may have a significant effect on the propensity to develop obesity in adulthood. Avoidance of accelerated weight gain in children should be investigated as a toll of adult obesity prevention.