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Body mass index, internalizing behavior and executive function: examining trait-state effects from age 2 to 15

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Abstract

This study aimed to examine the reciprocal relation between body mass index and internalizing behavior from age 2 to 15, and also the predictive role of executive function. This study included a subset sample of 640 children (47% were male) from the National Institute of Child Health and Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. A refined random-intercept cross-lagged model was employed to analyze: (1) the reciprocal relation between children’s body mass index and internalizing behavior assessed in eight waves from age 2 to 15; (2) the predictive role of executive functioning in both children’s body mass index and internalizing behavior. Trait-level body mass index-to-internalizing behavior association was not found; a significant state-level prediction from body mass index in 5th grade to internalizing behavior in 6th grade was found. Executive function was significantly associated with trait-level body mass index, trait-level internalizing behaviors, and state-level internalizing behaviors. The findings suggest that deficits in children’s executive functioning may be a shared risk associated with both high body mass index and internalizing behaviors. From an intervention perspective, this study highlighted the importance of targeting executive function to intervene in children’s obesity or internalizing behaviors.

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Data availability

Data used in this study was from a secondary database and can be requested at https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/web/ICPSR/series/233.

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Funding

All phases of this study were supported by Grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32171067, PI: Ni Yan).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, 2 Tiansheng Str., Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China

    Keman Li & Ni Yan

  2. Institute of Developmental Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China

    Keman Li

Authors
  1. Keman Li
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  2. Ni Yan
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Contributions

Dr. Ni Yan conceptualized and designed the study, acquired secondary dataset, carried out the initial data analyses, and reviewed and revised the manuscript. Ms. Keman Li conceptualized and designed the study, coordinated code writing and data interpretation, drafted the initial manuscript, and reviewed and revised the manuscript. All authors approved the final manuscript as submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ni Yan.

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All authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Supplementary file1 (DOCX 40 KB)

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Li, K., Yan, N. Body mass index, internalizing behavior and executive function: examining trait-state effects from age 2 to 15. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-023-02349-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-023-02349-8

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