This study investigated the relationship between early childhood adversity (0-5 years) and body mass index (BMI) in childhood (6-7 years) and adolescence (12-15 years) using data from 53,401 Danish children. Five groups of early childhood adversity were identified through group-based trajectory modeling. Boys and girls exposed to moderate or high material deprivation and loss/threat of loss showed slightly higher BMI z-scores, particularly in adolescence. The strongest association was observed in girls experiencing loss/threat of loss. While associations were found, effect sizes were generally small, suggesting that weight changes in childhood may not be a major mechanism linking early adversity to later morbidity.
Publisher
International Journal of Obesity
Published On
Aug 25, 2023
Authors
Leonie K. Elsenburg, Andreas Rieckmann, Jessica Bengtsson, Theis Lange, Jennifer L. Baker, Thorkild I. A. Sørensen, Naja Hulvej Rod
Tags
early childhood adversity
body mass index
childhood obesity
gender differences
Danish children
material deprivation
loss and threat
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