THE AETIOLOGY OF OBESITY IN CHILDREN A Study of 101 Twin Pairs

Abstract

The etiology of obesity in children is studied 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 analyzed. 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 wt and later development of subcutaneous fat in different types of twins does not show that intrauterine nutrition is of etiological importance. The comparison at age 7 of groups of ordinary siblings and twins of different types does not support the idea that the pre-school environment is of importance in etiology. Such influence seems to act mainly as a modifying factor.