A Comparative Study of Cohorts for Children’s Body Mass Index Changes

The purpose of this study is to examine how the body mass index changes over time and to determine whether there is a difference between the cohorts. For these purposes, we used latent growth curve modeling and multi-group analysis involving 2,250 students (first-grade cohort panel data) and 2,094 students (fourth-grade cohort panel data) who participated in the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey. Major findings are as follows. 1) The trajectories of body mass index were different by the cohort. Specifically, children’s body mass index has become more serious in recent generation. 2) Multi-group analysis showed that the trajectories of body mass index and its predictors were varied by the cohort. Specifically, self-esteem, abuse, sedentary lifestyle, and study time explained the cohort effect. These findings suggest that the social environment intervention is needed for the physical health of children.