BMI Trajectory in Children Linked to Psychosocial Health in Early Adolescence

A moderate or high increasing body-mass index during the first decade of life is associated with skipping breakfast and irregular bedtime in early childhood and with psychosocial problems in adolescence.

Overweight and obesity in childhood have been linked with psychosocial well-being. Knowledge about how the body-mass index (BMI) trajectory in early childhood is associated with subsequent psychosocial health may help guide pediatric counseling.

The nationally representative UK Millennium Cohort Study enrolled nearly 17,000 newborns who had BMI measurements at ages 3, 5, 7, and 11 years. Psychosocial well-being was assessed at age 11 years with standardized questionnaires. Researchers identified four patterns of BMI trajectories: stable non-overweight BMI (83.8% of participants); decreasing BMI (0.6%); moderate increasing BMI (13.1%); and high increasing BMI (2.5%).

Moderate and high increasing BMIs were significantly associated with maternal…

Reviewing Author

Martin T. Stein, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardPearson Neuroscience Advisory Board

Speaker’s bureauAmerican Academy of Pediatrics

RoyaltiesElsevier, Inc.

Editorial boardsJournal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics