- F Petermann: Zentrum für Klinische Psychologie und Rehabilitation, Universität Bremen, Grazer Strasse 6, Bremen. fpeterm@uni-bremen.de
Periods of heightened vulnerability to weight gain have been identified, and research supports the notion that obesity has its origins in early life. Maternal overweight, maternal smoking during pregnancy, high or low birth weight, rapid growth in early infancy, and early adiposity rebound all have been implicated in the development of obesity. This paper focuses on susceptibility to increased overweight and adiposity during the prenatal period, infancy and mid-childhood, and on how factors operating in each of these periods by their timing and duration, and also whether other co-factors are present. The persistence of obesity from early childhood emphasizes the importance of understanding growth trajectories, and a developmental view on early risk factors of adiposity. A systematic review of early risk factors may help developing prevention strategies to overcome strong influences of obesogenic environments at young age.