Learning Objectives: Step 1. Participants will gain insight into an innovative approach to studying childhood obesity in the population, and will acquire information regarding early life predictors for a child’s membership in the rising BMI group. Step 2. 1.Discuss the relevance of using of growth trajectories for the examination of elevated Body Mass Index (BMI) among youth. 3. Identify early life risk factors for obesity and discuss their significance for existing Public Health prevention programs. Step 3. 1. Identify three benefits of the developmental trajectory approach to modeling BMI in child populations, as compared to the more common methods that exist. 2. List three early life risk factors for child overweight or obesity. 3. Develop a set of five priorities for a public health prevention program of child obesity, taking into account the early life risk factors learned.