Relationship of insulin resistance to psychobehavioral characteristics of overweight and obese African American children

Abstract

ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to evaluate the relationships of insulin resistance to positive as well as negative dimensions of the child's emotions, behavior and personality (hereafter referred to as “psychobehavioral characteristics”) in a convenience sample of inner-city, overweight and obese, African American children. MethodsA secondary analysis was performed on a sample of 127 children ages 9–12yr old who were participating in a community-based, Type 2 diabetes prevention program. Psychobehavioral characteristics of children were assessed using both child and parent ratings derived from the Behavioral Assessment for Children, 2nd edition (BASC-2). Body fatness was evaluated using anthropometric techniques, and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated from fasting glucose and insulin concentrations. Hierarchical multiple linear regression models were employed with BASC scales as dependent variables and HOMA-IR as the independent variable of interest. ResultsAfter adjusting for child age, pubertal stage, gender, family socioeconomic index, and intervention group assignment, child HOMA-IR was related at p<0.05 to less favorable scores for parent-report of behavioral symptoms and externalizing problems composites, and to content scales for bullying and negative emotionality. Additionally, child HOMA-IR was related at p<0.01 to less favorable scores for child-report inattention/hyperactivity composite. Body fatness suppressed the unfavorable relationship between HOMA-IR and these and other psychobehavioral characteristics as the degree of significance was higher following adjustment for body fatness in this cohort. ConclusionMore than one psychobehavioral characteristic were associated with body fatness and insulin resistance in the overweight children of this study. Whether the associations are due to several, or only one, of these psychobehavioral characteristics could not be determined. A much larger and future study will be needed to determine which, if any, of these psychobehavioral characteristics are independently associated with insulin resistance in overweight children.