Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Associations between family factors and body weight gain from 20 years old  
 
Version: 0 Date: 25 Nov 2018  
 
Reviewer: HENRIQUE MUELA  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The authors present a very interesting clinical issue, namely The Associations between family 
factors and bo dy weight gain from 20 years old: the Shizuoka -Sakuragaoka J -MICC Study. The 
study aimed to examine the associations between family factors and BWG from 20 years old and 
they found that marital status and family relationships were associated with decreased  and 
increased risks of BWG in women only and recommended that family factors should be 
considered when advising women on body weight control.  
The manuscript is well written, and the tables are appropriate and of acceptable quality.  
 
I have some major and m inor concerns to the authors:  
Major  
I do understand that the authors have manifested the concern due to recall bias about the 
information of weight from 20 years old and have highlighted this aspect in the limitation 
section. However, it is difficult to a ssume that only because there were very good correlations (r 
were 0.98 and 0.99, p <0.001 for both in men and women, respectively) between the current BMI 
according to actual measurement and a self -administrated questionnaire, this would infer that the 
same correlation on the BMI from 20 years old is true. Moreover, because this information is the 
crucial data of the study, and consequently of its results, I think that the accuracy of the weight 
information from 20 years old remains questionable and the res ults may have been affected.  
 
Minor  
Page 6, Lines 39 -44, Definition and cases of BWG,  
It is not clear why there were stablished two cut -off (≥ 2.5 kq/m2 and ≥3.5 kg/m2) as case 
definition for BWG and so two different models used on the logistic regression . Is there any 
difference between the BWG ≥2.5 to <3.5 and ≥3.5? If not, why then the two models instead one 
based only on BWG ≥2.5?  
Tables 1 and 2, correct contorls to controls; Footnote: wight to weight  
Page 9, Lines 1 -6, Discussion  
As we can see in th e table 4, on the multivariate logistic regression analyses of family factors for 
body weight gain in women other variables such as Pregnancy and Childbirth were also 
significant. Why only the marital status and family structure were referred as being asso ciated 
with BWG?  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the ma nuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
Not relevant to this manuscript  
 
Quality of written  English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbur sements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or los e 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from a n organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below.  If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
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