Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 27, 2026
Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
Published on: June 13, 2021
Infant Psychosocial Environment Predicts Adolescent Cardiometabolic Risk: A Prospective Study
Jenalee R Doom1, Brie M Reid2, Estela Blanco3
1Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
Insights
A challenging infant psychosocial environment is linked to increased adolescent cardiometabolic risk, including higher blood pressure and metabolic syndrome. Early screening of infant environments is recommended to mitigate these health risks.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Cardiovascular Epidemiology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- The early life psychosocial environment significantly influences long-term health trajectories.
- Cardiometabolic risk factors often emerge during childhood and adolescence.
- Understanding the impact of early adversity on later cardiovascular health is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively investigate the association between the infant psychosocial environment and cardiometabolic risk in adolescence.
- To identify specific aspects of the early psychosocial environment that may predict later health outcomes.
- To inform early intervention strategies for preventing adolescent cardiometabolic disease.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal cohort study in Santiago, Chile, followed healthy infants from birth.
- Maternal reports of infant psychosocial factors (e.g., stress, support, socioeconomic status) were collected at 6-12 months.
- Adolescent cardiometabolic risk markers, including BMI, blood pressure, lipids, glucose, and insulin resistance, were assessed between ages 16-18.
Main Results:
- A poorer infant psychosocial environment was associated with increased Body Mass Index (BMI) z-scores at age 10 and in adolescence.
- Adverse early psychosocial factors correlated with elevated adolescent blood pressure, anthropometric risk, and biomarker risk (triglycerides, insulin resistance, cholesterol).
- Infants exposed to a poorer psychosocial environment had a higher likelihood of developing metabolic syndrome in adolescence.
Conclusions:
- A suboptimal infant psychosocial environment is a significant predictor of heightened adolescent cardiometabolic risk.
- These findings underscore the importance of assessing and supporting the infant psychosocial environment.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate causal pathways and develop targeted prevention and intervention strategies.
Objective:
To prospectively assess whether the infant psychosocial environment was associated with cardiometabolic risk as early as adolescence.
Study Design:
Participants were recruited in Santiago, Chile, and have been followed from infancy. Inclusion criteria included healthy infants with birth weight ≥3 kg and a stable caregiver. The psychosocial environment, including depressive symptoms, stressful life events, poor support for child development, father absence, and socioeconomic status, was reported by mothers at 6-12 months. Body mass index (BMI) z score was assessed at 5 and 10 years. BMI z score, waist-to-hip ratio, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fat mass and body fat percentage, fasting glucose, total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and homeostatic model of insulin resistance were tested in adolescence.
Results:
Adolescents ranged from 16 to 18 years of age (n = 588; 48.1% female). A poorer infant psychosocial environment was associated with BMI z score at 10 years (β = 0.10, 95% CI = 0.00-0.19) and in adolescence (β = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.06-0.24) but not at 5 years. A poorer infant psychosocial environment was associated with higher blood pressure (β = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.05-0.24), greater anthropometric risk (β = 0.13, 95% CI = 0.03-0.22), greater biomarker (triglycerides, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, total cholesterol) risk (β = 0.12, 95% CI = 0.02-0.22), and a higher likelihood of metabolic syndrome in adolescence (aOR = 1.50; 95% CI = 1.06-2.12).
Conclusions:
These findings demonstrate that a poorer infant psychosocial environment was associated with greater adolescent cardiometabolic risk. The results support screening for infants' psychosocial environments and further research into causality, mechanisms, prevention, and intervention.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:18Cognitive Development During Adolescence
02:27Predicting Molecular Geometry
01:12Relative Risk
01:24Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition
01:17Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adolescence
01:03Prediction Intervals
However, the point estimate is most likely not the exact value of the population parameter, but close to it. After calculating point estimates, we construct interval estimates, called confidence intervals or prediction intervals. This prediction interval comprises a range of values unlike the point estimate and is a better predictor of the observed sample value, y.