Childhood obesity is a major problem in westernised countries. It strongly tracks with adult obesity, a major modifiable risk factor for cancer. Higher levels of body fatness are associated with Westernised life styles of which diet is a potentially modifiable component. Studies that have concentrated on nutrient-obesity associations have often failed to show consistent relationships. The study of dietary patterns over time may be more informative, as foods or nutrients are not eaten in isolation.

This project will use data collected by the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), a large prospective cohort study. Dietary information has been collected on several occasions throughout childhood using food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) and using 3-day diet diaries at 10 and 13 years of age. Dietary patterns assessed by principal components analysis and cluster analysis will be considered as the primary exposures. Total body fatness and lean tissue mass have been assessed at 9, 11, 13 and 15 years of age by Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA). We will investigate the relationships between dietary patterns throughout childhood and the fatness of the children, with particular focus on the children who increase in fatness between 9 and 15 years.