A study of more than 44,000 babies by Boston-based medical organizations found that the growth charts used by pediatricians to track infant development at well-baby visits can predict the child's risk for obesity later in life.
The study, which was conducted by researchers from Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare, found that babies who rose two or more major percentiles in weight-for-length on their growth charts at any time before age 2 were twice as likely to be obese at age 5 and age 10.
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While commonly dismissed as "baby fat," early weight gains should be taken seriously, said study leader Dr. Elsie Taveras, co-director of the One Step Ahead clinic, a pediatric overweight prevention program at Children's Hospital Boston.