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Stronger Association between Nucleus Accumbens Density and Body Mass Index in Low-Income and African American

Shervin Assari1,2

  • 1Department of Family Medicine, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Research in Health Science
|December 9, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Nucleus accumbens (NAc) density predicts higher childhood BMI, particularly in African American and low-income children. These findings highlight racial and socioeconomic disparities in NAc

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • The nucleus accumbens (NAc) plays a role in body mass index (BMI).
  • Racial and socioeconomic status (SES) differences in NAc density's effect on childhood BMI are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate racial and SES differences in the association between NAc density and childhood BMI.
  • Utilize data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of 9497 children aged 9-10.
  • Mixed-effects regression models analyzed NAc density (from dMRI) and BMI.
  • Race and household income moderated the NAc density-BMI relationship.

Main Results:

  • Higher NAc density predicted higher BMI.
  • This association was stronger in African American children compared to White children.
  • The effect was also more pronounced in low-income children than in high-income children.

Conclusions:

  • NAc density influences childhood BMI, with variations across racial and SES groups.
  • Further research is needed on obesogenic environments' role in modifying this effect.
Abstract

Keywords:
body mass indexchildrencortical thicknessobesity

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