Childhood IQ in relation to obesity and weight gain in adult life: the National Child Development (1958) Study.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE:
To examine the relation of childhood intelligence (IQ) test results with obesity in middle age and weight gain across the life course.

METHODS:
We analysed data from the National Child Development (1958) Study, a prospective cohort study of 17 414 births to parents residing in Great Britain in the late 1950s. Childhood IQ was measured at age 11 years and body mass index (BMI), an indicator of adiposity, was assessed at 16, 23, 33 and 42 years of age. Logistic regression (in which BMI was categorised into obese and non-obese) and structural equation growth curve models (in which BMI was retained as a continuous variable) were used to estimate the relation between childhood IQ and adult obesity, and childhood IQ and weight gain, respectively.

RESULTS:
In unadjusted analyses, lower childhood IQ scores were associated with an increased prevalence of adult obesity at age 42 years. This relation was somewhat stronger in women (OR(per SD decrease in IQ score) [95% CI]:
1.38 [1.26, 1.50]) than men (1.26 [1.15, 1.38]). This association remains statistically significant after adjusting for childhood characteristics, including socio-economic factors, but was heavily attenuated following control for adult characteristics, particularly education (women:
1.11 [0.99, 1.25]; men:
1.10 [0.98, 1.23]). When weight gain between age 16 and 42 years was the outcome of interest, structural equation modelling revealed that education and dietary characteristics in adult life mediated the association with childhood IQ.

CONCLUSIONS:
A lower IQ score in childhood is associated with obesity and weight gain in adulthood. In the present study, this relation appears to be largely mediated via educational attainment and the adoption of healthy diets in later life.

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Author information

Author/s: Chandola, T (T); Deary, I J (IJ); Blane, D (D); Batty, G D (GD);

Affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK.

Grants: (Agency:Wellcome Trust)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: International journal of obesity (2005) (Int J Obes (Lond)), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Sep; vol 30 (issue 9) : pp 1422-32

Dates: Created 2006/08/30; Completed 2007/06/04; Revised 2007/08/13;

PMID: 16520812, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Intelligence
Intelligence Tests
Male
Obesity - psychology
Prospective Studies
Socioeconomic Factors
Weight Gain - physiology

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