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Weight trajectories and disordered eating behaviours in 11‐ to 12‐year‐olds: A longitudinal study within the Danish National Birth Cohort
Author(s) -
Stemann Larsen Pernille,
Nybo Andersen AnneMarie,
Olsen Else Marie,
Kragh Andersen Per,
Micali Nadia,
StrandbergLarsen Katrine
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
european eating disorders review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.511
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1099-0968
pISSN - 1072-4133
DOI - 10.1002/erv.2680
Subject(s) - overweight , birth weight , medicine , demography , small for gestational age , population , gestational age , pediatrics , danish , disordered eating , cohort , binge eating , cohort study , longitudinal study , eating disorders , obesity , pregnancy , psychiatry , environmental health , linguistics , philosophy , pathology , sociology , biology , genetics
Objective To examine how childhood weight trajectories are associated with disordered eating behaviours (DEBs) in early adolescence. Methods Self‐reports on DEBs (fasting, purging, and binge eating) were obtained from 18,337 children in the 11‐year follow‐up of the Danish National Birth Cohort. For this population, birth register information on gestational age and birth weight was categorized into the following: small, appropriate, and large for gestational age. Prospective parent‐reported height and weight data at child ages 1 and 7 years were dichotomized using standardized cut‐offs into non‐overweight and overweight. A 12‐category weight trajectory variable was created, and the associations between weight trajectory and DEBs were estimated using logistic regression. Results In total, 7.0% 11‐ to 12‐year olds reported DEBs. Compared with children born appropriate for gestational age and being non‐overweight at age 1 and 7 years, children born small for gestational age and who were overweight at age 1 and 7 years had a very high risk of disordered eating (OR 7.00; CI [2.57, 19.40]). The statistical analyses revealed, however, that overweight at age 7 years was the main contributor and independently of trajectory increased the risk of disordered eating at age 11–12 years significantly (OR 3.16 CI [2.73, 3.65]). Conclusion Overweight not in the first year of life, but at age 7 years was more predictive for DEBs.