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Four-year prospective study of BMI and mental health problems in young children

Michael Gifford Sawyer1, Taylor Harchak, Melissa Wake

  • 1School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, School of Population Health and Clinical Practice, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. michael.sawyer@adelaide.edu.au

Pediatrics
|September 21, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Higher childhood body mass index (BMI) at ages 4-5 is linked to peer and emotional problems by age 8-9. This highlights the importance of monitoring BMI for early mental health support in children.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Pediatric Health
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a growing concern with potential long-term health implications.
  • Mental health and quality of life are crucial aspects of child development.
  • Understanding the interplay between physical and mental well-being in early childhood is vital.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To prospectively examine the association between body mass index (BMI) and mental health outcomes in young children.
  • To investigate the relationship between BMI and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in early childhood.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, tracking children from 4-5 to 8-9 years old.
  • Assessed BMI for 3363 children across two waves.
  • Employed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for mental health and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) for HRQoL, with parent and teacher reports.

Main Results:

  • A 1-SD increase in BMI at 4-5 years was associated with higher odds of peer problems (parent and teacher reports) at 8-9 years.
  • Increased BMI was linked to higher odds of social problems on the PedsQL (parent reports).
  • Teacher reports indicated increased odds of emotional problems in children with higher BMI.

Conclusions:

  • Elevated BMI in early childhood (4-5 years) is positively associated with poorer peer relationships and teacher-reported emotional difficulties at 8-9 years.
  • The study did not find associations with other childhood mental health issues.
  • Further prospective research is recommended to explore if peer problems in higher-BMI children predict future mental health challenges.
Abstract

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