Anxiety, Family Functioning and Neuroendocrine Biomarkers in Obese Children

Abstract

Material and Methods:A non-random sample of 104 obese children (55 boys), mean age 10.9 years (standard deviation 1.76), was recruited from a childhood obesity clinic. Obesity was defined as body mass index above the 95 th age-and gender-specific percentiles. Neuroendocrine biomarkers were measured. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed with self and parent-reported questionnaires (Anxiety, Depression and Stress Scales; Child Behaviour Checklist). Family functioning was assessed with parent-reported questionnaires (Family Adaptation and Cohesion Scales-III). Results: A significant, negative correlation (r s = -0.779; p = 0.003) between girls' cortisol and their parents' anxiety symptoms was found, limited to high functioning families. Boys scored significantly higher than girls on parent-reported internalizing symptoms but not on self-report. No association was found between cortisol in children and parental depressive symptoms. Discussion: Whether the association between cortisol levels in obese children and parental mental health is effectively restricted to girls from high functioning families or is due to study limitations, requires further research. The lack of associations between cortisol in children and parental depressive symptoms, suggests a specific association between cortisol and parental anxiety symptoms. Conclusion: These results highlight the importance of taking into account family functioning, parental mental state and gender, when investigating neuroendocrine biomarkers in obese children associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Development of RisObIn.Com, a Screening Tool for Risk of Childhood Obesity in the Community

“…In the dimension related to the subjective perception of eating habits, the variables retained in the final estimation model were the caretaker's perception of the child's food intake while worried, irritated, or anxious and the caretaker's perception of the adequacy for age of the child's usual food intake. Previous studies have shown psychopathology to be associated with overweight in children [54,55]; validity data indicate that children as young as 4 years old can report on their own anxiety symptoms [56]. In reaction to anxiety, emotional eating acts as a biological response that provides temporary feelings of gratification/satisfaction [57].…”

Weight Loss and Improvement of Metabolic Alterations in Overweight and Obese Children Through the I2AO2 Family Program: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

“…The Nutritional Survey of the Spanish Population (ENPE in its Spanish abbreviation) carried out in people aged 3-24 years, found a frequency of excess weight and obesity of more than 50%; of these individuals, 71.6% presented abdominal obesity (Aranceta-Bartrina et al, 2016). In addition, excess weight in childhood is associated with obesity in adulthood and the development of metabolic and cardiovascular comorbidities including diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, and non-alcoholic fatty liver (Oses et al, 2019;Ward et al, 2017), and psychological disorders such as depression or anxiety (Pinto et al, 2017;Quek et al, 2017).…”