Impact of early psychosocial factors (childhood socioeconomic factors and adversities) on future risk of type 2 diabetes, metabolic disturbances and obesity: a systematic review

Abstract

BackgroundPsychological factors and socioeconomic status (SES) have a notable impact on health disparities, including type 2 diabetes risk. However, the link between childhood psychosocial factors, such as childhood adversities or parental SES, and metabolic disturbances is less well established. In addition, the lifetime perspective including adult socioeconomic factors remains of further interest.We carried out a systematic review with the main question if there is evidence in population- or community-based studies that childhood adversities (like neglect, traumata and deprivation) have considerable impact on type 2 diabetes incidence and other metabolic disturbances. Also, parental SES was included in the search as risk factor for both, diabetes and adverse childhood experiences. Finally, we assumed that obesity might be a mediator for the association of childhood adversities with diabetes incidence. Therefore, we carried out a second review on obesity, applying a similar search strategy.MethodsTwo systematic reviews were carried out. Longitudinal, population- or community-based studies were included if they contained data on psychosocial factors in childhood and either diabetes incidence or obesity risk.ResultsWe included ten studies comprising a total of 200,381 individuals. Eight out of ten studies indicated that low parental status was associated with type 2 diabetes incidence or the development of metabolic abnormalities. Adjustment for adult SES and obesity tended to attenuate the childhood SES-attributable risk but the association remained. For obesity, eleven studies were included with a total sample size of 70,420 participants. Four out of eleven studies observed an independent association of low childhood SES on the risk for overweight and obesity later in life.ConclusionsTaken together, there is evidence that childhood SES is associated with type 2 diabetes and obesity in later life. The database on the role of psychological factors such as traumata and childhood adversities for the future risk of type 2 diabetes or obesity is too small to draw conclusions. Thus, more population-based longitudinal studies and international standards to assess psychosocial factors are needed to clarify the mechanisms leading to the observed health disparities.

The Association Between Dietary Pattern and Weight Status in School-Aged Children: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…On the other hand, it should be added that children following traditional dietary pattern in this study were older and had older maternal age, larger family, and lower parental education. These factors are all risk factors for overweightness and obesity in children (34)(35)(36). This positive relationship between traditional dietary pattern and increased body mass index and obesity among adults was also observed in a study by Falahi et al (37).…”

Racial Disparities in Obesity Treatment

“…The impact of psychosocial factors, such as deprivation, trauma, and neglect has been considered, but more studies are needed to draw conclusions regarding impact on obesity [44]. Factors including stress, income, sleep, and racism have been associated with obesity.…”

Early-Life Stress: From Neuroendocrine Mechanisms to Stress-Related Disorders

“…Indeed, epidemiologic studies in individuals with a history of pediatric stress exposure have shown a higher risk for developing a psychiatric disorder (anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD]) [5-7]. In addition, early-life stress has been associated with a higher prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases and chronic inflammatory and pain syndromes [8-10]. The strong relations between pediatric stress and adverse mental and physical health outcomes in adult life have generated considerable interest in investigating the underlying pathophysiologic and neurobiologic mechanisms that link these conditions (Fig.…”