Share Photo: (Photo : kelvin octa from Pexels) In Australia, experts can now predict if a newborn baby is at risk of childhood obesity by 8 to 9 years old. Experts from the University of Queensland designed and validated the i-PATHWAY model. It uses simple risk factors that researchers mainly gathered during routine doctor visits at 12 months of age to predict future childhood obesity. Dr. Oliver Canfell, a research fellow and an expert on diet and nutrition, said that the said model could measure the risk of childhood obesity with 74.6% accuracy. The risk factors used are the newborn baby's weight change in their first year, mother's height and weight before pregnancy, father's height and weight, and the newborn baby's sleep pattern in the first year. Premature birth, if the mother smoked during her pregnancy and if the baby is female, was also used.