A groundbreaking new genetic test may help kids develop healthy habits early on by identifying those who are at increased risk of obesity as adults, according to an article published in the journal Nature Medicine.

The test, which can be used to predict adult obesity in children as young as five, could one day give parents and doctors the opportunity to intervene before young people become weighed down by extra pounds.

According to data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 2 in 5 adults are obese in the United States today. That number is projected to grow to 2 in 3 by 2050.

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