Infant self-regulation predicts BMI trajectories from infancy to adolescence

• In Event: Influences on child obesity and obesity-related health behaviors from infancy through adolescence

Abstract

Background: Obesity in childhood and adolescence is increasingly prevalent worldwide (WHO, 2022), and has origins early in life (e.g., Geserick et al., 2018). The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesis posits that early life factors shape physiological systems and impact health outcomes throughout the lifespan (Barker, 1998), and that these early factors may have sex-specific effects (Davis & Pfaff, 2014). Self-regulation, or the regulation of emotions and behavior, has been linked to obesity, such that that poorer self-regulation is associated with obesity. Self-regulation in infancy may be particularly important to examine as physiological systems important for obesity development, as well as feeding behaviors, are developing during this life stage (Birch et al., 2007; Reynolds, 2013).
Objectives: To assess the contribution of self-regulation in infancy as a predictor of body mass index (BMI) trajectories relative to measures of self-regulation in childhood and adolescence. Additionally, the current study aims to examine whether sex moderates the association between self-regulation and BMI trajectories from infancy through early adolescence.
Methods: Maternal report of offspring self-regulation and measurements of child BMI were obtained at 7 and 8 time points respectively from 191 mother/offspring dyads from infancy (6 months) through adolescence (around 13 years). General linear mixed models were used to test associations. To test the role of self-regulation in infancy and its relative predictive strength in comparison to other time periods, the utility of 3 models were compared, which reflected different possible relations between self-regulation and BMI across time. These models tested whether self-regulation in infancy best predicted BMI trajectories (Model 1), whether self-regulation in childhood best predicted BMI trajectories (Model 2), or whether self-regulation predicted BMI without timing effects (Model 3).
Results: Infancy alone, rather than in combination with childhood and adolescent self-regulation measures, was the best predictor of BMI trajectories (Model 1). Self-regulation at six months, was associated with BMI across childhood and adolescence, F(5,338) = 2.59, p = .026. Sex moderated the association between self-regulation and BMI, F(4, 338) = 2.59, p = .03, with poorer infant self-regulation predicting higher BMI in early childhood for girls (F(5, 338) = 2.59, p = .03 for overall curve difference), and more rapid increases in BMI in early adolescence for boys (F(3, 296) = 3.84, p = .01 for overall curve difference; see figure).
Conclusions: The present study provides novel evidence that self-regulation in infancy is a predictor of BMI trajectories into adolescence. Self-regulation at six months of age was the best predictor of BMI trajectories compared to other assessment ages, and the pattern of the association differed by sex. Self-regulation in infancy may be a risk factor for the development of obesity.

Authors

• LillyBelle Ku'ulei Deer, University of Denver
  Presenting Author

• Jenalee Doom, University of Denver

• Kylie Harrall

• Deborah H Glueck

• Laura Glynn, Chapman University

• Curt Sandman, University of California, Irvine

• Elysia Poggi Davis, University of Denver