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Sex Differences in the Relationship Between Childhood Self‐Regulation and Adolescent Adiposity

Year: 2020

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Research suggests that higher childhood self-regulation (CSR) predicts lower adiposity in adolescence. However, it is unclear whether this relationship differs by sex or by baseline weight status. Thus, this study investigated these questions in a longitudinal, community-based cohort. METHODS: The cohort included 221 girls and 214 boys. At age 9, CSR was assessed via parent/teacher reports of effortful control, and childhood BMI z scores (BMIz) were calculated from staff measurements. Late-adolescent waist-to-height ratio was based on staff measurements at age 18. RESULTS: CSR has a small inverse correlation with concurrent childhood BMIz in girls, but not in boys. Prospectively, however, CSR has a small inverse association with late-adolescent weight-to-height ratio in both sexes, after adjusting for childhood BMIz and other childhood predictors. This prospective association is marginally stronger for girls with higher (vs. lower) childhood BMIz. CONCLUSIONS: CSR inversely predicts changes in adiposity across adolescence in both sexes, with some evidence that this association is stronger for girls with higher (vs. lower) childhood adiposity. However, this inverse association between CSR and adiposity may emerge earlier in girls. Future research should examine the causal status of CSR and its relationship to behaviors (e.g., diet).

Source: Obesity

DOI: 10.1002/oby.22926

Authors: Kristin N. Javaras, Jeffrey M. Armstrong, Marjorie H. Klein, Marilyn J. Essex, Richard J. Davidson, H. Hill Goldsmith

Institutions: University of Wisconsin–Madison, Harvard University, McLean Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: Waisman Center, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development