9 Oct 2025 • A large cohort study of 276,747 children followed from 1977 to 2022 found that elevated childhood BMI trajectories significantly increased the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adulthood.

Key Findings:

• During follow-up, COPD developed in 18,227 women and 15,789 men.
• Compared with average BMI, girls with above-average, overweight, and obese trajectories had higher COPD risks (HR 1.10, 1.26, and 1.65, respectively), with similar patterns in boys.
• Children with below-average BMI had a reduced risk (HR 0.91).

The findings suggest that excess childhood weight may predispose to lifelong respiratory vulnerability, emphasizing early obesity prevention.

Source: Respiratory Medicine | Read Full Story