Effects of Positive Childhood Experiences in Adolescence on Obesity in Women

Poverty is strongly associated with obesity, particularly among women. Positive childhood experiences (PCEs) may protect against obesity, but longitudinal studies are limited. We assessed: 1) the effects of PCEs at age 15 on obesity risk at age 22; and 2) whether these effects vary by exposure to extreme poverty in childhood.

We analyzed data of female participants in the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a national birth cohort oversampling socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. PCEs were assessed across three domains separately and cumulatively: maternal, neighborhood, and school support. Multivariable linear and logistic regression was adjusted for relevant sociodemographic characteristics. Stratified analyses and interaction terms were tested for moderation by extreme poverty exposure.

The analytic sample included 1,339 female participants (49% Black; 18% primary caregivers without high school education; 67% exposed to extreme poverty in childhood). Higher maternal support (B = -.61, p = .04), neighborhood support (B = -.80, p = .02), and cumulative PCEs (-.68, p = .01) at age 15 were associated with lower body mass index at age 22. Higher neighborhood support (adjusted odds ratio = .81, p = .02) and cumulative PCEs (adjusted odds ratio = .87, p = .04) at age 15 were associated with lower odds of obesity at age 22. In moderation analyses, maternal support and cumulative support were only associated with lower body mass index among those never exposed to extreme poverty.

PCEs during adolescence protect against obesity in early adulthood in an urban female cohort, but this protective effect is negated by exposure to extreme poverty. Further research should investigate the mechanisms underlying these associations and the potential impact of interventions aimed at strengthening PCEs and alleviating poverty.