Physical activity and adiposity: a longitudinal study from birth to childhood.

Physical activity was reassessed in cohort of 52 children aged 4 to 8 years whose activity had been measured during the first 3 days of life. Neonatal adiposity was not significantly correlated with parental adiposity, neonatal physical activity, or gender, nor was neonatal activity significantly correlated with adiposity in childhood. Neonatal adiposity did not predict adiposity in childhood. However, in a stepwise multiple regression, parental adiposity and the children's daytime high activity levels were significantly associated with childhood adiposity. The age or gender of the child did not significantly correlate with childhood adiposity. As parental adiposity increased or daytime high activity of a child decreased, the adiposity in a 4- to 8-year-old child was likely to increase.