A new study finds that much of a child’s “weight fate” – that is, whether he or she will fight the battle of the bulge for their life – is sealed before kindergarden.

The study,  published in this week’s New England Journal of Medicine, was paid for by the federal government.

Overweight 5-year-olds were found to be four times as likely as normal-weight children to become obese (32 percent versus 8 percent) by the time they were teenagers.

Between kindergarten and eighth grade, there was a 65 percent increase in obesity among whites, 50 percent among Hispanics and a shocking 120 percent increase amongst African-Americans (“other” groups, Asians, Pacific Islanders, Native Americans and those of mixed race saw a 40 percent increase).

The highest rate of childhood obesity was found in middle class families,  while wealthy families showed the lowest incidence.

Source: AP