Nina Vuorela

Prevalence of overweight and obesity in 5- and 12-year-old Finnish children in 1986 and 2006.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and the trends of overweight and obesity in Finnish 5‐ and 12‐year‐old children in 1986 and 2006.

Parents underestimate their child`s overweight.

Aim:  The aim of this study was to evaluate parents’ ability to perceive the weight status of their children.

Change in prevalence of overweight and obesity in Finnish children – comparison between 1974 and 2001

Objective:  To analyse the possible changes in the prevalence of overweight and obesity comparing birth cohorts from four different decades in Finland.

A trajectory analysis of body mass index for Finnish children

The aim of this study is to investigate the early development of body mass index (BMI), a standard tool for assessing the body shape and average level of adiposity for children and adults. The main aim of the study is to identify the primary trajectories of BMI development and to investigate the changes of certain growth characteristics over time. Based on our longitudinal data of 4223 Finnish children, we took anthropometric measurements from birth up to 15 years of age for birth years 1974, 1981, 1991 and 1995, but only up to 11 years of age for the birth year 2001. As a statistical method, we utilized trajectory analysis with the methods of nonparametric regression. We identified four main trajectories of BMI growth. Two of these trajectories do not seem to follow the normal growth pattern. The highest growth track appears to yield to a track that may yield to overweight and the low birth BMI track shows that the girls’ track differs that of boys on the same track, and on the normal tracks. The so-called adiposity rebound time decreased over time and started earlier for those on the overweight track. According to our study, this kind of acceleration of growth might be more of a general phenomenon that also relates to the other phases of BMI development. The major change seems to occur especially for those children on high growth tracks.

Mothers with gestational diabetes are more likely to give birth to children who experience early weight problems

We tracked the body mass index (BMI) of children born to mothers with or without gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) or type 1 diabetes from birth to 12 years of age and examined the trends in both diseases.

Toddlers get slimmer while adolescents get fatter--BMI distribution in five birth cohorts from four decades in Finland.

Aim:  To investigate the trends in the size of Finnish children in five birth cohorts from four decades.