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Socioeconomic adversity during childhood increases the likelihood of both depression and higher body mass index (BMI) in early adolescence, which can worsen and lead to illness for young adults, according to a new report in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
“Certain stresses manifest through increases in poor physical health, as shown by an increasing BMI over adolescence, or through worsening mental health, as shown by increases in depressive symptoms. These developments contribute to young adult physical health,” said Kwon.
“As subscribers to the ‘life course’ theory, we know experiences in early life affect you later—even if they’re latent for a while—and that these stresses can be compounded,” said Josephine Kwon, M.S., of the department of human development and family science at the University of Georgia in Athens.
Kwon and her co-authors used data obtained from more than 12,000 adolescents, ages 12 to 19 years enrolled in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health on four different occasions, or waves, between 1995 and 2001.
They found that adolescents with more socioeconomic adversities had more depressive symptoms and higher BMIs initially and had worse trajectories over time. Higher levels and growth of depression and BMI were associated with higher counts of young adult physical illnesses and worse self-rated general health. Kwon and her colleagues also looked at specific biomarkers of health, like blood pressure.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/06/140624215853.htm
Abstract available at Journal of Adolescent Health: Early Socioeconomic Adversity and Young Adult Physical Illness: The Role of Body Mass Index and Depressive Symptoms
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