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Obesogenic eating behaviors mediate the relationships between psychological problems and BMI in children
Kimberley M Mallan1,2, Lynne A Daniels2,3, Jan M Nicholson4,5
1School of Psychology Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, Australia.
Insights
Children with psychological problems often exhibit obesogenic eating behaviors, leading to higher body mass index (BMI). Addressing these behaviors is crucial for managing pediatric obesity and psychological issues.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Psychology
- Childhood Obesity Research
- Behavioral Pediatrics
Background:
- Psychological problems in early childhood are increasingly recognized.
- Childhood obesity remains a significant public health concern.
- Understanding the interplay between mental health and weight status is critical.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the link between psychological issues and weight status in preschoolers (3.5-4 years).
- To determine if obesogenic eating behaviors mediate this association.
- To inform clinical strategies for pediatric overweight/obesity and psychological challenges.
Main Methods:
- Secondary analysis of 194 mother-child dyads from the NOURISH trial control group.
- Cross-sectional data collected at child age 3.5-4 years.
- Utilized maternal reports for eating behaviors and psychological problems; objective measurements for child BMI z-score; statistical analyses including correlations, regressions, and mediation models.
Main Results:
- Peer problems correlated with food responsiveness, emotional overeating, and higher BMI z-score, partially mediated by emotional overeating.
- Emotional overeating and food responsiveness fully mediated the link between emotional problems and BMI z-score.
- Food responsiveness fully mediated the association between conduct problems and BMI z-score.
Conclusions:
- Psychological problems in young children may contribute to obesogenic eating patterns and elevated BMI.
- Interventions should consider the bidirectional relationship between mental health and weight in pediatric care.
- Targeting eating behaviors could be a key strategy in managing both psychological distress and obesity in children.
Objective:
To examine the association between psychological problems and weight status in children aged 3.5 to 4 years and test whether obesogenic eating behaviors mediate this relationship.
Methods:
This study is a cross-sectional secondary analysis of data from first-time mothers (N = 194) in the control arm of the NOURISH randomized controlled trial. At child age 3.5 to 4 years, maternal-reported child eating behaviors and psychological problems were collected via valid tools, and child weight and height data were collected by trained study staff. Pearson's correlations and linear regressions examined associations between eating behaviors, psychological problems, and BMI z score. Multiple mediation models were tested by assessing indirect effects of psychological problems on BMI z score via obesogenic eating behaviors.
Results:
Peer problems were associated with both higher food responsiveness and emotional overeating and directly with higher BMI z score. This relationship was partially mediated by emotional overeating. Both emotional overeating and food responsiveness fully mediated the association between emotional problems and BMI z score, and food responsiveness fully mediated the association between conduct problems and BMI z score.
Conclusions:
The findings suggest that children with psychological problems may also display obesogenic eating behaviors, which may result in higher BMI. This needs to be considered in the clinical management of both pediatric overweight/obesity and psychological problems.