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Background: Approximately one third of thromboembolic (TE) events are related to obesity, but to which extent elevated body mass index (BMI) during the distinct periods of childhood and puberty contributes is not known. We aimed to evaluate the impact of high BMI during childhood and puberty for the risk of adult venous and arterial thromboembolic events (VTE, ATE, respectively) in men. Methods: We included 37,672 men from the BMI Epidemiology Study (BEST) Gothenburg with data on weight and height in childhood, young adult age, and on pubertal BMI change. Information on outcomes (VTE [n = 1683], ATE [n = 144], or any first TE event [VTE or ATE; n = 1780]) was retrieved from Swedish national registers. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by Cox regressions. Results: Both BMI at 8 years of age and the pubertal BMI change were associated with VTE, independently of each other (BMI at 8: HR 1.06 per standard deviation [SD] increase, 95% CI, 1.01;1.11; pubertal BMI change: HR 1.11 per SD increase, 95% CI, 1.06;1.16). Individuals with normal weight during childhood followed by young adult overweight (HR 1.40, 95% CI, 1.15;1.72), and individuals with overweight at both childhood and young adult age (HR 1.48, 95% CI, 1.14;1.92), had a significantly increased risk of VTE in adult life, compared with the normal weight reference group. Individuals with overweight in childhood and in young adult age had increased risk of ATE and TE. Conclusion: Young adult overweight was a strong determinant, and childhood overweight a moderate determinant, of the risk of VTE in adult men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to present prevalence data for overweight and obesity across school age in a large, recent, population‐based cohort of children in Gothenburg, Sweden. Methods: We included 66,807 children (48.5% girls) aged 5–18.9 years who had their height and weight measured in school health care 2015–2018. The BMI values were categorised according to the age‐dependent cut‐offs for overweight and obesity from the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF). Results: Overall, the prevalence of overweight and obesity for girls and boys was 18.1% and 18.0%, respectively. We observed increasing proportions of overweight (girls 11.5–17.1% and boys 8.4–17.4%) and obesity (girls 3.0–4.2% and boys 2.7–6.1%) with increasing age (p < 0.001 for trend in both sexes). Moreover, girls had higher prevalence of overweight during ages 5.0 to 8.9 years compared with boys (p < 0.001), while boys had higher prevalence of obesity 15.0–18.9 years compared with girls (p < 0.001). Conclusion: In conclusion, we demonstrate increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity across the entire school age range, as well as differences in prevalences between boys and girls, in a population‐based sample of 67,000 children in Gothenburg city, Sweden. Continuous monitoring of schoolchildren, together with effective preventive measures, is crucial to curb the obesity epidemic and its consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hematologic malignancies are common and the incidence is increasing. Adult obesity has been associated with hematologic malignancies (HM), but the importance of body mass index (BMI) in childhood and during puberty has not been evaluated. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relative contribution of BMI and height in childhood and during puberty for the risk of adult HM. 37 669 men born in 1946 to 1961 who had weight and height measured at 8 (childhood) and 20 (young adult age) years of age available from the BMI Epidemiology Study were included in the study. Pubertal BMI change was calculated as BMI at 20 years of age minus BMI at 8 years of age. Information on HM was retrieved from Swedish registers (459 cases of HM). Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by Cox regressions. Childhood BMI (HR 1.11 per SD increase [95% CI 1.02‐1.23]), but not pubertal BMI change, was associated with hematologic malignancies in a linear manner. Childhood BMI was, independent of childhood height, associated with the diagnostic entities Non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (HR 1.14 [95% CI 1.00‐1.30]) and its largest subgroup diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (HR 1.31 [95% CI 1.03‐1.67]). Childhood height was associated with multiple myeloma (HR 1.30 [95% CI 1.04‐1.64]) independent of childhood BMI. We conclude that childhood but not puberty is the critical developmental period regarding future risk of HM and we suggest that elevated childhood BMI is a determinant of Non‐Hodgkin lymphoma and diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma. What's new? Excess body mass index (BMI) is one of few known preventable risk factors of hematologic malignancies. This is the first study to evaluate the relative contribution of BMI and height in childhood and puberty for the risk of hematologic malignancies. Childhood BMI was associated with the risk of non‐Hodgkin lymphomas, and childhood height with the risk of multiple myelomas. The findings suggest that childhood, but not puberty, is the critical developmental period regarding future risk of hematologic malignancies. This study demonstrates the importance of height and weight monitoring during childhood and that prevention of adult cancer already starts in childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role of pubertal BMI change in adult‐onset concomitant asthma and allergic rhinitis is unknown. Objective: We investigated the association of childhood and young adult BMI, and pubertal BMI changes with adult‐onset asthma, allergic rhinitis, and concomitant asthma and rhinitis in Swedish men. Methods: The BMI Epidemiology Study in Gothenburg, Sweden, comprised of height and weight measures taken from school health records (6.5‐9.5 years) and during military conscription (17.5‐22 years) for all men born 1945‐1961 (n = 37 652). Age‐adjusted childhood BMI centred at 8 years and young adult BMI at 20 years were linked to high quality data on asthma and allergic rhinitis diagnoses from the Swedish National Patient Register. Findings: High BMI (4th quartile vs the two median quartiles) at 8 years was associated with increased risk of concomitant asthma and allergic rhinitis (HR 1.45; 95% CI 1.00‐2.11). Overweight (HR 1.45; 95% CI 1.12‐1.89) and obesity (HR 1.95; 95% CI 1.08‐3.54) at 20 years were associated with increased risk of asthma without concomitant allergic rhinitis as main or auxiliary diagnosis. Pubertal BMI change showed a non‐linear association, so that both low (1st quartile vs the two median quartiles) and high pubertal BMI changes were associated with increased risk of asthma (low: HR 1.36; 95% CI 1.11‐1.68; high: HR 1.32; 95% CI 1.07‐1.63) and asthma without concomitant allergic rhinitis (low: HR 1.33; 95% CI 1.04‐1.69; high: HR 1.36; 95% CI 1.07‐1.74) as a main diagnosis. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Both low and high pubertal BMI changes are predictors of adult‐onset asthma in men, particularly asthma without concomitant allergic rhinitis. Primary prevention of adult‐onset asthma requires monitoring of changes in BMI during puberty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]