%0 Journal Article
%T Developmental trajectories of childhood obesity and risk behaviors in adolescence
%J Journal of Adolescence
%D 2013
%A Huang, David Y. C.
%A Lanza, H. Isabella
%A Wright-Volel, Kynna
%A Anglin, M. Douglas
%V 36
%N 1
%P 139-148
%X Using group-based trajectory modeling, this study examined 5156 adolescents from the child sample of the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth to identify developmental trajectories of obesity from ages 6-18 and evaluate associations of such trajectories with risk behaviors and psychosocial health in adolescence. Four distinctive obesity trajectories were identified: "Chronically Obese," "Decreasing," "Increasing," and "Non-obese." Males were overrepresented in the Chronically Obese and Increasing groups; females were overrepresented in the Decreasing group. African-Americans were overrepresented in the Chronically Obese, Increasing, and Decreasing groups; in contrast, Whites were overrepresented in the Non-obese group. Obesity trajectories were not associated with greater trends in alcohol use, marijuana use, or delinquency, but Chronically Obese adolescents showed a greater increase in cigarette smoking over time compared to other trajectories. The Increasing trajectory, representing a transition into obesity status from childhood to adolescence, was associated with poorer psychosocial health compared to other trajectories.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I Elsevier Publishing
%@ 0140-1971
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2012.10.005