Rapid increases in BMI waist to height ratio during adolescence and subsequent neurobehavioral deficits
Authors' conclusion
Rapid increases in BMI or WHtR during adolescence could predict subsequent neurobehavioral deficits, especially for externalizing behaviors. Timely intervention for weight control may be considered to promote adolescent mental health.
Study context
- Population
- Middle school students in Shanghai, China (6 schools), followed Grades 6, 7 and 9 (ages 11–15 years)6 middle schools
- Participants
- 609 students
- Exposure
- Rapidly increasing vs stable BMI z score / WHtR trajectories during adolescence
- Outcome
- Neurobehavioral status (Youth Self Report scale)
- Follow-up
- Grade 9
Methodological detailsrandomized stratified sampling, latent class mixture modeling
- Randomized stratified sampling
- Latent class mixture modeling
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Incidence rate ratio
1.564-1.613
adjusted p < 0.05
Rapidly increasing BMI z score vs Stable BMI z score · delinquent behavior, aggressive behavior, externalizing problems
Incidence rate ratio
1.776-1.967
adjusted p < 0.05
Rapidly increasing WHtR vs Stable WHtR · social problems and delinquent behavior
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Prevalence of overall and abdominal obesity · Grades 6 through 9
- Overall obesity prevalence
- 10.7% to 13.0%
- Abdominal obesity prevalence
- 13.0% to 19.8%
Associations by sex · Grade 9
- Significant associations of rapidly increasing BMI z score/WHtR trajectories with neurobehavioral deficits among girls
- adjusted p < 0.05
- Not significant among boys
- adjusted p > 0.05
Original publication
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