This author takes responsibility for all aspects of the reliability and freedom from bias of the data presented and their discussed interpretation.

ObjectivesTo determine prevalences of underweight and overweight as well as low and high waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) in three prospective follow-ups and to explore tracking of these measures of nutritional status from childhood to adolescence and adulthood. The influence of socioeconomic status, remoteness, maternal body mass index (BMI) and birth weight on weight status was assessed.DesignLongitudinal birth cohort study of Indigenous Australians.SettingData derived from three follow-ups of the Aboriginal Birth Cohort study with mean ages of 11.4, 18.2 and 25.4 years for the participants.ParticipantsOf the 686 Indigenous babies recruited to the study between 1987 and 1990, 315 had anthropometric measurements for all three follow-ups and were included in this study.Primary and secondary outcome measuresBMI categories (underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity),WHtR categories (low and high), sex, areal socioeconomic disadvantage as defined by the Indigenous Relative Socioeconomic Outcomes index, urban/remote residence, maternal BMI and birth weight. Logistic regression was used to calculate ORs for belonging to a certain BMI category in adolescence and adulthood according to BMI category in childhood and adolescence.ResultsUnderweight was common (38% in childhood and 24% in adulthood) and the prevalence of overweight/obesity increased with age (12% in childhood and 35% in adulthood). Both extremes of weight status as well as low and high WHtR tracked from childhood to adulthood. Underweight was more common and overweight was less common in remote and more disadvantaged areas. Birth weight and maternal BMI were associated with later weight status. There were significant sex differences for prevalences and tracking of WHtR but not for BMI.ConclusionsSocioeconomic factors, remoteness and gender must be addressed when assessing nutrition-related issues in the Indigenous communities due to the variation in nutritional status and its behaviour over time within the Indigenous population.

Objectives To determine whether socio‐economic status at birth is associated with differences in risk factors for cardiovascular disease — body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, blood lipid levels — during the first 25 years of life. Design Analysis of prospectively collected data. Setting, participants 570 of 686 children born to Aboriginal mothers at the Royal Darwin Hospital during 1987–1990 and recruited for the Aboriginal Birth Cohort Study in the Northern Territory. Participants resided in 46 urban and remote communities across the NT. The analysed data were collected at three follow‐ups: Wave 2 in 1998–2001 (570 participants; mean age, 11 years), Wave 3 in 2006–2008 (442 participants; mean age, 18 years), and Wave 4 in 2014–2016 (423 participants; mean age, 25 years). Main outcome measures Cardiovascular disease risk factors by study wave and three socio‐economic measures at the time of birth: area‐level Indigenous Relative Socioeconomic Outcomes (IRSEO) index score and location (urban, remote) of residence, and parity of mother. Results Area‐level IRSEO of residence at birth influenced BMI (P < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (P = 0.024), LDL‐cholesterol (P = 0.010), and HDL‐cholesterol levels (P < 0.001). Remoteness of residence at birth influenced BMI (P < 0.001), HDL‐cholesterol (P < 0.001), and triglyceride levels (P = 0.043). Mother's parity at birth influenced BMI (P = 0.039). Conclusions Our longitudinal life course analyses indicate that area‐level socio‐economic factors at birth influence the prevalence of major cardiovascular disease risk factors among Indigenous Australians during childhood and early adulthood.

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