Citation

Tillery R, Berlin KS, Banks GG, Kamody RC, Rybak TM. J. Pediatr. Psychol. 2015; 41(3): 340-349.

Affiliation

Psychology Department, The University of Memphis

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/jpepsy/jsv080

PMID

26363488

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:  To determine whether initial body mass index for age (zBMI) and internalizing symptoms predict longitudinal changes in zBMI and internalizing symptoms-and the extent to which sex and race moderate these relations.  METHODS:  Participants included 12,674 (51% male) youth from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class 1998-1999. Data were collected in kindergarten, 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 8th grades. Teacher-reported internalizing symptoms were measured with the Social Rating Scale.  RESULTS:  Internalizing symptoms followed a quadratic growth trajectory, with initial low levels of symptoms that gradually increased over time and eventually leveled. zBMI followed a piecewise growth trajectory, with a transition in slope at 1st grade. Interactions emerged between zBMI and internalizing symptoms for White males.  CONCLUSIONS:  Associations between internalizing symptoms and BMI begin in early childhood for White males, and changes in zBMI are a function of the interactive effect of initial levels of internalizing difficulties and adiposity status.

Language: en