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THE AETIOLOGY OF OBESITY IN CHILDREN A Study of 101 Twin Pairs
Author(s) -
BÖRJESON M.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1976.tb04887.x
Subject(s) - etiology , heredity , dizygotic twins , medicine , obesity , subcutaneous fat , dizygotic twin , pediatrics , twin study , developmental psychology , demography , heritability , endocrinology , obstetrics , genetics , psychology , biology , adipose tissue , sociology
. The aetiology of obesity in children is studied here with the aid of a material consisting of 40 monozygotic and 61 dizygotic twins. The importance of heredity, early nutrition, and environment during preschool age is analysed. Genetic factors, studied by comparison of intra‐pair differences in monozygotic and dizygotic twins, apparently play a decisive role in the origin of obesity. Analysis of the relation between birth weight and later development of subcutaneous fat in different types of twins does not show that intra‐uterine nutrition is of aetiological importance. The comparison at age seven of groups of ordinary siblings and twins of different types does not support the idea that the pre‐school environment is of importance in aetiology. Such influence seems to act mainly as a modifying factor.