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Obese adolescents are at increased risk for adult morbidity, but less is known about their short-term health risks. Investigators used nationally representative longitudinal survey data to determine whether being or becoming obese during adolescence increases the risk for developing functional limitations in young adulthood.
Data were from 8032 adolescents (mean age, 15.5 years) surveyed during 1994–1995 (baseline), in 1996 (baseline obesity measure), and again in 2001–2002. Participants were classified by weight trajectory as becoming obese, persistently obese, persistently nonobese, or reversing obesity (going from obese to nonobese). Two measures of functional limitations (e.g., difficulty moving a table, pushing a vacuum, or bathing and …