Title
Developmental trajectories of body mass index and emotional-behavioral functioning of underweight children: A longitudinal study
Date Issued
25 January 2016
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Masaryk University
Publisher(s)
Nature Publishing Group
Abstract
Although several studies have addressed developmental trajectories from childhood to adolescence of internalizing/externalizing problems, limited attention has been given to underweight children. Two groups were recruited for this study from a community sample: underweight (Ug, N = 80, 50% female) and normal weight (NWg, N = 80, 50% female) to examine the developmental trajectories of body mass index and emotional-behavioral functioning of underweight children from the age two years, and their risk of eating disorder at early adolescence. The study was organized over four waves, each of three years. Pediatricians measured BMI, parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Eating Disorders Inventory-Referral Form (EDI-3-RF). Our results showed that children in the two groups recorded different BMI trajectories over time. In NWg, male and female subjects started from a higher BMI at T1 than their peers. In Ug, internalizing and externalizing problems in males and females remained higher than their peers at all points of assessment. Males and females in Ug scored higher than those in NWg on EDI-3-RF total score. Our results indicate a need for effective physical and psychological assessment of underweight children in community samples to prevent psychological difficulties and eating disorders in adolescence.
Volume
6
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Psicología (incluye terapias de aprendizaje, habla, visual y otras discapacidades físicas y mentales)
Pediatría
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-84955476741
PubMed ID
Source
Scientific Reports
ISSN of the container
20452322
Sponsor(s)
CA acknowledges the support of the Central European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (CELSPAC) (MUNI/M/1075/2013), and the THINLINE Project (GA15-05696S), which are co-financed by Masaryk University and the state budget of the Czech Republic. The publication 27 of the present article has been supported by funds of the Italian PRIN 2010-2011 (Research projects of significant national interest) Prot. 20107JZAF4-002.
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus