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Cumulative social risk and obesity in early childhood

Shakira F Suglia1, Cristiane S Duarte, Earle C Chambers

  • 1Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, USA. sfs2150@columbia.edu

Pediatrics
|April 18, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Cumulative social adversity increases childhood obesity risk in girls. Early life social risks are linked to higher odds of obesity in 5-year-old girls, but not boys. Understanding family social context is key for prevention.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Sociology

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a significant public health concern.
  • Social adversity during early childhood is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for adverse health outcomes.
  • The Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study provides a unique dataset to examine these relationships.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between cumulative social adversity and childhood obesity in preschool-aged children.
  • To explore potential gender differences in this relationship.

Main Methods:

  • Maternal reports of 6 social risk factors (intimate partner violence, food insecurity, housing insecurity, depressive symptoms, substance use, father's incarceration) were collected at child ages 1 and 3.
  • Cumulative social risk scores were calculated for each time point.
  • Child obesity was measured at age 5 using height and weight, with logistic regression analyses stratified by gender.

Main Results:

  • 17% of children were obese at age 5; 57% experienced at least one social risk factor.
  • Girls with high cumulative social risk (≥2 factors) at age 1 or 3 showed increased odds of obesity (OR 2.1-2.2).
  • No significant associations were found for boys, or for girls with high risk at both ages 1 and 3.

Conclusions:

  • Gender differences exist in the impact of cumulative social risk on childhood obesity.
  • Early life social adversity, particularly in girls, is associated with a higher prevalence of obesity.
  • Targeted interventions considering the family's social context are crucial for effective childhood obesity prevention.
Abstract

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