Racial Variation in the Association between Positive Urgency and Body Mass Index among American Children.

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Behavioral Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Positive urgency, a facet of impulsivity, is linked to health risks like obesity.
• Understanding racial differences in positive urgency's association with BMI is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine racial disparities in the relationship between positive urgency and BMI in US children aged 9-10.
• Investigate how race moderates the association between impulsivity traits and body mass index.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 11,590 children (ages 9-10) in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study.
• Measured positive urgency using the UPPS-SS scale and BMI as the primary outcome.
• Employed mixed-effects regression models and propensity score weighting for nationally representative analysis.

Main Results:

• A significant interaction between race and positive urgency on BMI was observed.
• Positive urgency demonstrated a stronger association with higher BMI in White children than in African American children.

Conclusions:

• The link between positive urgency and BMI is weaker in African American children compared to White American children.
• Impulsive traits may play a lesser role in BMI for African American children.
• Future research should explore environmental factors influencing these associations.