Psychological stress and obesity
Felix-Sebastian Koch1, Anneli Sepa, Johnny Ludvigsson
1Division of Pediatrics and Diabetes Research Centre, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
The Journal of Pediatrics
|July 29, 2008
Summary
Family psychological stress is linked to childhood obesity. Children in families reporting stress in two or more domains had significantly higher odds of obesity, highlighting the need for family support.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern.
- Family environment and parental psychological well-being are potential influences on child health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between family psychological stress and obesity in young children.
- To determine if specific domains of family stress predict childhood obesity.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study (All Babies in Southeast Sweden-project) of 7443 Swedish families.
- Assessed psychological stress through serious life events, parenting stress, social support, and parental worries.
- Used logistic regression to calculate odds ratios for childhood obesity.
Main Results:
- 4.2% of children aged 5-6 years were obese.
- Families reporting stress in at least two domains showed significantly higher odds of childhood obesity (cross-sectional OR 2.1, longitudinal OR 2.6).
Conclusions:
- Family psychological stress may be a contributing factor to childhood obesity.
- Emphasizes the importance of providing psychological and social support to families of obese children.
- Integrated lifestyle recommendations with psychosocial support is crucial.
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