Title
A 9-year longitudinal study on trajectories of aggressive and depressive symptoms in male and female children with overweight
Date Issued
01 January 2019
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Cerniglia L.
Cimino S.
Erriu M.
Jezek S.
Tambelli R.
Publisher(s)
BioMed Central Ltd.
Abstract
Objectives: The aim of this four waves 9-year longitudinal study was to examine aggressive/depressive symptoms trajectories in a sample of N = 90 children with overweight and a matched group of children with normal weight (subjects balanced by sex and sociodemographic characteristics). Weight and height were measured by pediatricians to calculate body mass index (BMI). Aggressive/depressive symptoms were measured through the Child Behavior Check-List filled out by children’s parents. Multilevel modeling was used to obtain the best fitting curves describing the change over time in aggression and depression scores. These analyses were performed by sex and group. Results: Children with overweight showed a general increase of aggressive symptoms over time, with a peak at 8 years of age in males, whereas scores of the control group decreased over time both in males and in females. Female children with overweight showed increasing levels of depressive symptoms, with a peak at 8 years of age; children with normal weight, instead, showed low scores at all assessment points. The results highlight the importance of considering the developmental trajectories of aggression and depression in children of different weight status.
Volume
12
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Nutrición, Dietética Psicología Pediatría
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85074291140
PubMed ID
Source
BMC Research Notes
ISSN of the container
17560500
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus