Psychosocial environment in childhood and body mass index growth over 32years

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Childhood psychosocial environments and risks are known predictors of adult health behaviors and problems.
• Understanding the long-term impact of early psychosocial factors on health is crucial for preventative strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between various psychosocial factors in childhood and adolescence and body mass index (BMI) trajectories.
• To examine individual psychosocial domains and their cumulative effect on BMI development over time.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the nationally representative Young Finns study (N=2016), with participants aged 3-18 years at baseline in 1980.
• Measured BMI across six phases from 1980 to 2012; psychosocial factors were reported in 1980, with adult socioeconomic status assessed in 2007.
• Employed repeated measures multilevel modeling to analyze the association between cumulative psychosocial factors and BMI trajectories.

Main Results:

• A positive cumulative psychosocial factors score was associated with a slower increase in BMI during follow-up.
• Specific factors like parental lifestyle and fewer stressful life-events showed significant associations with attenuated BMI gain.
• Regression coefficients indicated a protective effect, ranging from -0.06 to -0.50.

Conclusions:

• The psychosocial environment during childhood and adolescence significantly influences BMI trajectories.
• Parental lifestyle and a lower burden of stressful life-events emerge as key protective factors against BMI increase.
• Early psychosocial interventions focusing on these domains may contribute to long-term weight management and public health.