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Predicting academic and cognitive outcomes from weight status trajectories during childhood

International Journal of Obesity volume 37, pages 154–159 (2013)Cite this article

Subjects

A Corrigendum to this article was published on 08 January 2013

This article has been updated

Abstract

Objective:

To identify childhood body mass index (BMI) trajectories and to describe their association with subsequent academic and cognitive outcomes.

Study design:

Prospective cohort: Height and weight measured annually from 4 to 7 years. A mixture of regressions approach grouped children into BMI trajectories (n=1959 children; n=5754 BMI measures). Academic outcomes included teacher-rated progress and achievement. Cognitive outcomes measured by Kaufman’s Assessment Battery for Children. Academic and cognitive outcomes were regressed according to BMI trajectories, controlling for family and individual covariates. Subjects drawn from Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (Canada), a 1998 birth cohort (n=2120).

Results:

Four clusters of BMI trajectories emerged: two healthy weight groups, one overweight group and one low weight group. Relative to healthy weight, belonging to the overweight or low weight clusters was negatively associated with cognitive and academic outcomes. With the exception of the low weight cluster, this relationship was insignificant in the adjusted model.

Conclusions:

Results suggest that during childhood being overweight does not increase risk for poor educational outcomes. Instead, being underweight may the increase risk for poorer cognitive outcomes. Further group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) for BMI development over time is needed to confirm results.

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Change history

  • 08 January 2013

    This article has been corrected since online publication and a corrigendum is also printed in this issue

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Acknowledgements

The completion of this study was supported by a postdoctoral research bursary held by Dr S Bisset from the Canadian Institute for Health Research #R0016833.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. École de psychoéducation (Groupe de recherche sur les environnements scolaires), Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada

    S Bisset, L Pagani & M Janosz

  2. Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada

    S Bisset & M Fournier

  3. Centre de Recherche de l′Hôpital Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada

    L Pagani

  4. Department of Nutrition, Université de Montrèal, Montrèal, Québec, Canada

    S Bisset

Authors
  1. S Bisset
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  2. M Fournier
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  4. M Janosz
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Correspondence to S Bisset.

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Bisset, S., Fournier, M., Pagani, L. et al. Predicting academic and cognitive outcomes from weight status trajectories during childhood. Int J Obes 37, 154–159 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2012.106

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