Overweight and Obesity and Their Association with Neurodevelopmental Delay Among Preschoolers

Background/Objectives: Neurodevelopmental delays can have significant long-term consequences. Given that overweight and obesity have been associated with alterations in several biological processes related to child development, we aimed to evaluate their association with neurodevelopmental delays in children. Methods: We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study among 280 children aged 2-5 years. Child neurodevelopmental information was obtained from the Battelle Developmental Inventory Screening Test, which includes 96 items and measures fundamental developmental skills in five domains: Personal/Social; Adaptive; Motor; Communication; and Cognitive. Nutritional status was obtained from weight and height measurements. Anthropometric indicators, including BMI and height-for-age, were calculated. World Health Organization (WHO) cutoff points were used to classify children as overweight or obese. Associations were assessed using logistic regression models adjusted for confounders and evaluating interaction terms. Results: A total of 19.8% were overweight or obese. More than 20% of the children showed delays in at least one developmental domain. Participants who were overweight or obese were more likely to have a delay in the Personal/Social domain (Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.36, p = 0.03). Children who were overweight or obese and whose mothers were ≤30 years old were more likely to have a delay in the Adaptive domain (OR = 4.8, p = 0.02); on the other hand, being male and being overweight or obese increased the likelihood of having a delay in the Personal/Social domain (OR = 11.1, p = 0.006). Similar results were observed in the communication domain (OR = 5.88, p = 0.007). Conclusions: The results suggest that nutritional status is associated with delays in Personal/Social, Adaptative and Communication domains; the child's sex and the mother's age may modify this association.