Last modified: 2011-08-04
Abstract
M. Vámosi 1, B.L.Heitmann 2, M. Thinggaard 4, K. O. Kyvik 3,4
Psychosocial exposures during childhood and development of adult obesity: a co-twin control study.
1 Health Promotion, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 2 Research Unit for Dietary Studies, Institute of Preventive Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospitals, 3 Institute of Health Services Research, University of Southern Denmark, and 4 The Danish Twin Registry, Epidemiology, University of Southern Denmark.
Background:
Recent investigations have demonstrated that psychosocial determinants should be included among the causes of obesity, e.g. perception of: parental care, being bullied, perceived stress and coping competencies.
The objective of this study was to examine if the exposure of psychosocial determinants during childhood could be associated with the development of adult obesity.
Methods:
A total of 146 complete adult twin pairs aged between 20 and 50 years in 2006 discordant for BMI were identified and contacted from the Danish Twin Registry. Criteria for being discordant were that one of the twins had a normal BMI and the co-twin a BMI > 30 kg/m².
The twin pairs were interviewed regarding their childhood, with special focus on parental care, eating patterns, being bullied in childhood, perceived stress and coping behaviour.
Data were analyzed by means of a growth-curve model and an intra-pair comparison
Results:
The total number of twins to be contacted was 288 of which 236 interviews were completed, which means a participation rate of 82 %. The results of the data indicated that the obese twins suffered from either physical or psychological problems or diseases more often the normal weighted co- twin.
Furthermore the study demonstrated that perception of being bullied and that of lack of maternal care and neglect during childhood seems to have a potentially negative influence on adult weight.
Perspectives:
In order to understand the aetiology of obesity it is thus necessary to view overweight and obesity as a product of a dynamic combination of physical, psychological and social factors.