Obesogenic Behaviors and Depressive Symptoms' Influence on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in American Indian Children

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatric Health
• Cardiovascular Disease Research

Background:

• American Indian (AI) youth exhibit higher rates of cardiovascular disease and depression.
• Obesogenic behaviors, including poor diet, low physical activity, and high screen time, contribute to health disparities.
• Understanding the interplay between mental health and lifestyle behaviors is critical for AI youth's well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between depressive symptoms and obesogenic behaviors with cardiometabolic risk factors in American Indian youth.
• To identify key behavioral and emotional factors contributing to cardiometabolic risk in this population.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 121 American Indian youth were assessed.
• Data collected included depressive symptoms, obesogenic behaviors (diet, physical activity, screen time), weight, blood pressure, lipids, and glucose levels.
• Statistical analyses were performed to determine relationships between variables.

Main Results:

• All participants had inadequate intake of fruits/vegetables and sugar-sweetened beverages.
• A significant majority did not meet physical activity (74%) or screen time (85%) guidelines.
• Lower physical activity correlated with higher body fat percentage (p=0.022).
• Elevated depressive symptoms were linked to higher blood glucose levels (random, fasting, HbA1c).

Conclusions:

• Low physical activity, high screen time, and depressive symptoms are associated with increased cardiometabolic risk in AI children.
• The link between depressive symptoms and blood glucose highlights the importance of emotional health in chronic disease prevention.
• Routine depression screening is recommended for comprehensive chronic disease prevention strategies in AI youth.