Affiliation:
1. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases The International Peace Maternity & Child Health Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai China
2. MOE‐Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Department of Child and Adolescent Healthcare Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai China
3. Shanghai Changning Maternity & Infant Health Institute Shanghai China
4. Institute of Higher Education, Fudan University Shanghai China
5. Shanghai Municipal Education Commission Department Shanghai China
Abstract
AbstractObjectiveThe aim of this study was to explore prospective relationships between changing patterns of BMI/waist to height ratio (WHtR) during adolescence and subsequent neurobehavioral development.MethodsIn this prospective cohort study, randomized stratified sampling was used to recruit six middle schools and 609 students in Shanghai, China. In Grades 6, 7, and 9, the Youth Self Report scale was used to assess student neurobehavioral status and anthropometric measurements were conducted to calculate BMI z scores and WHtRs. Longitudinal data were analyzed using latent class mixture modeling to delineate trajectories of BMI z scores (“stable,” “decreasing,” “rapidly increasing”) and WHtRs (“stable,” “rapidly increasing”), and their associations with neurobehavioral status in Grade 9 were assessed.ResultsIn Grades 6 through 9 (ages 11–15 years), the prevalence of overall obesity and abdominal obesity ranged from 10.7% to 13.0% and 13.0% to 19.8%, respectively. Compared with the stable BMI z score trajectory, the rapidly increasing BMI z score trajectory was longitudinally associated with delinquent behavior, aggressive behavior, and externalizing problems (incidence rate ratio: 1.564–1.613, adjusted p < 0.05). Compared with the stable WHtR trajectory, the rapidly increasing WHtR trajectory significantly predicted increased risks of social problems and delinquent behavior (incidence rate ratios: 1.776–1.967, adjusted p < 0.05). Significant associations of the rapidly increasing BMI z score/WHtR trajectories with subsequent neurobehavioral deficits were observed among girls (adjusted p < 0.05) but not among boys (adjusted p > 0.05).ConclusionsRapid 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.
Funder
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Subject
Nutrition and Dietetics,Endocrinology,Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism,Medicine (miscellaneous)