Adolescent Cognitive Development Research Articles

Associations of parental age at pregnancy with adolescent cognitive development and emotional and behavioural problems: a birth cohort in rural Western China

BackgroundThe relationship between parental age at pregnancy and offspring development in low- and middle-income countries remains unclear. We aimed to examine the associations of parental age at pregnancy with adolescent development in rural China.MethodsWe conducted a prospective birth cohort study of offspring born to pregnant women who participated in an antenatal micronutrient supplementation trial in rural Western China. Adolescent cognitive development and emotional and behavioural problems were assessed by using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV and the Youth Self-Report-2001, respectively. After accounting for the possible nonlinear relationships, we examined the linear associations between parental age (in years) at pregnancy and scores of adolescent cognitive development and emotional and behavioural problems by performing generalized estimating equations.ResultsAmong 1897 adolescents followed from birth to early adolescence, 59.5% were male with a mean age of 11.8 (standard deviation (SD): 0.8) years. The mean ages of mothers and fathers at pregnancy were 24.6 (SD: 4.4) and 27.9 (SD: 4.1) years old, respectively. All the P values of the nonlinear terms between parental age and adolescent development in all domains were greater than 0.05. Each one-year increase in maternal age at pregnancy was associated with a 0.29-point (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.06, 0.52) increase in the full-scale intelligence quotient in early adolescence. After parental age was categorized into quartiles, the total behavioural problem scores of adolescents with fathers with an age in the fourth quartile (Q4) were 6.71 (95% CI 0.86, 12.57) points higher than those of adolescents with fathers with an age in the first quartile (Q1), with a linear trend P value of 0.01. Similarly, higher scores (worse behavioural problems) were observed for internalizing behavioural problems and other emotional and behavioural symptoms related to anxiety, withdrawal, social problems, thought problems and aggressive behaviour.ConclusionsAt conception, older maternal age was independently linked to better adolescent cognitive development, whereas advanced paternal age was independently associated with a greater risk of adolescent emotional and behavioral problems. These findings suggest that public health policies targeting an optimal parental age at pregnancy should be developed in the context of offspring developmental consequences.

ИНТЕЛЛЕКТУАЛЬНОЕ И РЕЧЕВОЕ РАЗВИТИЕ ПОДРОСТКОВ В ЗАВИСИМОСТИ ОТ ИНТЕНСИВНОСТИ ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЯ ЭЛЕКТРОННЫХ УСТРОЙСТВ

In the modern world, electronic devices (ED), such as smartphones, tablets, and computers, have become an integral part of our life thanks to scientific advances in technology and the availability of the Internet. This changes our perception of time and affects intellectual experience. Using electronic devices can be beneficial for learning, work and entertainment, but excessive time in the virtual world can lead to a loss of touch with reality, affecting emotional and physical well-being and social relationships. Studying the influence of electronic devices on cognitive development in adolescence is especially important, since during this age period structural and functional changes associated with physiological processes occur.

Neuro-biological background of social cognitive development in adolescence

Social cognitive development has much to do with thoughts and beliefs about the external world where adolescents live in society. Social cognition encompasses beliefs about oneself and others and the beliefs about the specific understanding of people. Social cognition begins to develop in childhood and gradually widens its development into adolescence. In this period, they become more conscious about their own feelings as well as the feelings and emotions of others. The development of social cognition during adolescence is one of the most important milestones of adolescent development. Disruption in the development of social cognition may lead to severe psychopathological conditions characterized by severe social isolation and social discomfort. This review article tries to discuss the neuro-biological background of social cognition and its development in adolescents with the help of a narrative approach. The study’s findings indicate that social cognition includes signals from the brain that enable adolescents to learn and understand the social world. Those signals are facial expressions, theory of mind (ToM), emotions, and understanding social norms.

O.6.1-5 Potential moderators of the association between fundamental movement skills and academic attainment of adolescents: a path analysis

Abstract Purpose Fundamental movement skills (FMS) provide a crucial foundation for the development of complex movement patterns involved in physical activity and sport. Further, FMS and skill acquisition are proposed to have a moderating influence on the association between physical activity and cognitive stimulation. Despite this, there remains scant literature investigating this relationship in adolescents. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the association between object control and locomotor skills and subject-specific academic attainment in adolescents, and to ascertain whether this association is moderated by perceived sports competence, sex, weight status and/or maturational status. Methods FMS were assessed in 140 children (70 girls; 12.8±1.9 years) using the Test of Gross Motor Development V.3 (TGMD-3). Numeracy reasoning, numeracy procedural and reading were determined using standardised national assessments and potential moderating variables (perceived sports competence [Children and Youth Physical self-perception profile – Youth], Body Mass Index (BMI) z-scores, and biological maturity [predicted age at peak height velocity]) were recorded. Path analysis was performed using maximum likelihood estimation to analyse the hypothesised direct and moderated associations between FMS and each aspect of academic attainment, whilst controlling for age and sex. The moderating role of sex was subsequently assessed using multi-group analysis and comparing a fully-constrained model. The moderating effects of perceived sports competence, BMI z-score and biological maturity were analysed using the interaction-moderation approach. Results Path analysis revealed a significant association between object-control skill competence and both numeracy procedural (β=0.33; p = <0.001) and numeracy reasoning (β=0.29; p = <0.001). In contrast, there was no association between locomotor skills and any parameter of academic attainment. Perceived sports competence moderated the association between object-control skills and numeracy procedural (β=0.16; p = 0.045) and reading (β=0.25; p = 0.003), while BMI z-score moderated the association between object control skills and numeracy reasoning (β=0.17; p = 0.048). Conclusions These results highlight the importance of object-control skills for cognitive development in adolescents. The continued development of FMS, specifically object-control skills, within cognitively-enriched experiences should be a key strategic aim in the curriculum. These findings are imperative for school buy-in for school-based physical activity promoting interventions.

Education And Strengthening Of Al Chasanah Students In Preventing Hiv/Aids Among Youth

The present study reports the newest comprehensive study after pandemic era for the Infectious Disease acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) the number of people living with HIV/AIDS (ODHA) continues to grow, this needs to be balanced with efforts to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS. The present study reports the comprehensive study after pandemic era for the prevention and education of Infectious Disease acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) among youth in Al-Chasanah high school, Jakarta Indonesia, caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) the number of people living with HIV/AIDS (ODHA) continues to grow, this needs to be balanced with efforts to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS since earlier. This type of research was quantitative with educational preventive counseling. The characteristics of adolescents who are unstable so that they are easily influenced by the environment, it is necessary to instill various positive information to support adolescent cognitive development. It is hoped that adolescents will have positive (cognitive) knowledge which will continue in other aspects of attitudes, namely positive (affective) feelings that arise in adolescents, so that they also influence the tendency of adolescents to behave positively (conatively). In conclusion, that every student can understand and experience progress after the distribution of material. This can be compared with the pre-test and post-test diagrams where the average student can answer the test with the same questions before and after the distribution of material education.

Retracted: Animation Narrative on Stress Relief and Psychological Cognitive Development in Adolescents.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2022/1111488.].

Mental Health and Cognitive Development in Symptomatic Children and Adolescents Scoring High on Habitual Snoring: Role of Obesity and Allergy.

Obstructive sleep apnea can have a negative impact on children's and adolescents' neurocognitive abilities and hinder their academic and adaptive progress in academic, social, and/or behavioral dimensions. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we investigated the influence of body weight conditions and allergy status on long-term mental health, cognitive development, and quality of life in children and adolescents who snored. The study sample included 47 subjects (age range 4.1 to 15.3 years) who exhibited high levels of snoring and underwent home-based polysomnography between 2015 and 2019. Follow-up assessments (3 years on average between baseline and follow-up) entailed phone interviews with the subject's parents/caregivers who completed three validated questionnaires investigating sleep, quality of life, and parental ratings. We found a correlation between age at diagnosis and being retrospectively overweight and high levels of snoring. In addition to a higher risk of developing emotional symptoms (8.2% increase in retrospective overweight status for each unit increase in the emotional score at follow-up) and oppositional behavior (9% increase in retrospective overweight status for each unit of oppositional T points at follow-up), we also noted reduced long-term social symptoms (11% decrease in retrospective overweight status for each unit increase in the social score at follow-up) and cognitive symptoms (10.6% decrease in retrospective overweight status for each unit increase in the cognitive score at follow-up), as well as a 6.1% increase in retrospective allergy status for each unit increase in academic performance at follow-up. Snoring can have negative impacts on mental health and cognitive development in the long term. Early detection and intervention for neuropsychological disorders is important in children and adolescents who score high on snoring. In the long term, the effects of snoring on neuropsychological disorders may vary based on previous body weight and allergy status.

Updated review on successful control with nicotine replacement therapy for nicotine withdrawal symptoms

Nicotine use as a tool for quitting smoking has a good safety history. Animal studies suggest that nicotine may adversely affect cognitive development in adolescence, but the relevance of these findings to human brain development is disputed. At low amounts, it has a mild analgesic effect. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, "nicotine is not generally considered to be a carcinogen." The Surgeon General of the United States indicates that evidence is inadequate to infer the presence or absence of a causal relationship between exposure to nicotine and risk for cancer. Tobacco is dangerous. According to one study trusted source, smoking-related diseases are responsible for about 4,35,000 deaths per year in the United States. That’s about 1 in every 5 deaths in the United States. Stopping smoking, no matter how long you have smoked, can greatly benefit your health. Nicotine creates pleasant feelings in the body and mind. When you use tobacco, your brain releases neurotransmitters such dopamine, the feel-good chemical. This creates a brief feeling of contentment and pleasure. In humans, nicotine from tobacco induces stimulation and pleasure, and reduces stress and anxiety. Smokers come to use nicotine to modulate their level of arousal and for mood control in daily life. Smoking may improve concentration, reaction time, and performance of certain tasks. When a person stops smoking, nicotine withdrawal symptoms emerge. These include irritability, depressed mood, restlessness, anxiety, problems getting along with friends and family, difficulty concentrating, increased hunger and eating, insomnia, and craving for tobacco. Nicotine withdrawal in untreated smokers produces mood disturbances comparable in intensity to those seen in psychiatric out patients. Generally it has been found that nicotine replacement therapies actually give you small amounts of nicotine through a product like gum or a skin patch. While you’ll continue to get some nicotine in your system, you won’t be exposed to any of the other harmful chemicals that are found in tobacco.

Sleep Time and Depression Symptoms as Predictors of Cognitive Development Among Adolescents: A Cross-Lagged Study From China.

Sleep time and depression symptoms are important factors affecting cognitive development in adolescents. Based on the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS) database, this study used a two-wave cross-lagged model to examine the bidirectional relationship between sleep time, depression symptoms, and cognitive development. Descriptive statistics showed that Chinese adolescents' cognitive development increased significantly from 7th to 8th grade in junior high school, but unfortunately, their depression level and average sleep time per night demonstrated a slightly deteriorating trend. Correlation analysis showed that there was a relatively stable negative correlation between cognitive development, sleep time, and depression symptoms. Moreover, the cross-lagged model revealed that there was a bidirectional relationship between cognitive development and sleep time, a bidirectional relationship between depression symptoms and sleep time, and a unidirectional relationship between depression symptoms and cognitive development. Male adolescents in the subgroup were consistent with the total sample. Among female adolescents, only cognitive development and sleep time have a bidirectional relationship, while depression symptoms and cognitive development, and depression symptoms and sleep time have a unidirectional relationship. Therefore, it is of significance to take targeted action to promote cognitive development and healthy growth in adolescents worldwide.

ABCD_Harmonizer: An Open-source Tool for Mapping and Controlling for Scanner Induced Variance in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study.

Data from multisite magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies contain variance attributable to the scanner that can reduce statistical power and potentially bias results if not appropriately managed. The Adolescent Cognitive Brain Development (ABCD) study is an ongoing, longitudinal neuroimaging study acquiring data from over 11,000 children starting at 9-10years of age. These scans are acquired on 29 different scanners of 5 different model types manufactured by 3 different vendors. Publicly available data from the ABCD study include structural MRI (sMRI) measures such as cortical thickness and diffusion MRI (dMRI) measures such as fractional anisotropy. In this work, we 1) quantify the variance attributable to scanner effects in the sMRI and dMRI datasets, 2) demonstrate the effectiveness of the data harmonization approach called ComBat to address scanner effects, and 3) present a simple, open-source tool for investigators to harmonize image features from the ABCD study. Scanner-induced variance was present in every image feature and varied in magnitude by feature type and brain location. For almost all features, scanner variance exceeded variability attributable to age and sex. ComBat harmonization was shown to effectively remove scanner induced variance from all image features while preserving the biological variability in the data. Moreover, we show that for studies examining relatively small subsamples of the ABCD dataset, the use of ComBat harmonized data provides more accurate estimates of effect sizes compared to controlling for scanner effects using ordinary least squares regression.

An Adolescent Confronted With Cluttering: The Story of Johan

Purpose: This case study is presented to inform the reader of potential speech, language, cognitive, and emotional characteristics in preadolescent cluttering. Method: This case study describes a 10-year-old boy who started to clutter during preadolescence. The case illustrates that, in some adolescents, cluttering can co-occur with temporary stuttering-like behavior. In this case, signs of disturbances in speech-language production associated with behavioral impulsiveness as a young child were noted. Speech, language, cognitive, and emotional results of the case are reported in detail. Results: The changes in fluency development are reported and discussed within the context of changes in the adolescent brain as well as adolescent cognitive and emotional development. While being unaware of their speech condition before adolescence, during preadolescence, the changes in brain organization lead to an increase in rate and a decrease in speech control. Given that the client had limited understanding of what was occurring, they were at risk of developing negative communication attitudes. Speech-language therapists are strongly advised to monitor children with cluttering signals in the early years of their adolescence. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.21318072

Animation Narrative on Stress Relief and Psychological Cognitive Development in Adolescents.

As the atmosphere of domestic animation is getting stronger and stronger in recent years, its proportion in the process of public aesthetics, entertainment, and consumption is increasing; thus, the relationship between the audience and works has become an important academic focus. The theatrical animation in the animation industry has become the category that needs to be focused on and changed in the development process of domestic animation because of its characteristics of receiving attention from all-age audiences. Because of the diversified audience levels faced by theatrical animation, it is particularly difficult to coordinate the needs of each audience level, coupled with the long-term influence of Japanese and American animation; the trend of pop culture led by network culture; the inheritance, excavation, and reconstruction of national culture; and other cultural environment and creative thinking intertwined, making the construction of the independence of domestic animation appear more and more difficult. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the theoretical study of the healing elements of Natsume Yojimbo and to analyze the creation of Chinese traditional ink and wash in the creation of our own works. It is concluded that the thematic choices are based on two categories: emotions and dreams, which focus on personal life experience and universal concern for human life. The character construction is divided into three aspects: self-resistance and self-reflection, self-vision and self-actualization, and traumatic experience and self-rescue to explain the complexity and diversity of the characters' growth connotation. The narrative perspective constitutes the perspective from which the issues are viewed. The omniscient perspective allows for the coexistence of complex character relationships and a clear storyline, while the limited perspective reveals certain emotional tendencies. The narrative mode presents the moral of the text with cause-and-effect narrative, embellished group narrative, and dreamlike polyphony narrative. Finally, the article discusses the realistic dilemma of the growth narrative of domestic online animation and tries to put forward feasible development suggestions in response to the problems at this stage.

Maternal safflower oil consumption improve reflex maturation, memory and reduces hippocampal oxidative stress in the offspring rats treated during pregnancy and lactation

ObjectiveEvaluate the influence of maternal consumption of safflower oil on reflex maturation, memory and offspring hippocampal oxidative stress. MethodologyTwo groups were formed: control group (C), whose mothers received a standard diet, and Safflower group (SF), whose mothers received a normolipidic diet with safflower oil as lipid source. Treatment was given from the 14th day of gestation and throughout lactation. To evaluate newborn development, the reflex ontogeny indicators between the 1st and the 21st days of life were evaluated; to assess memory, from the 42nd day of life on these animals were examined on open field habituation and novel object recognition test. Following behavioral analysis, the animals were anesthetized and decapitated. Hippocampus was rapidly dissected. In the hippocampal tissues, we evaluated the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione S transferase (GST) and reduced glutathione (GSH). ResultsSF offspring showed delayed maturation of reflexes and improvement of novel object recognition in short-term and long-term (p < 0.05). Safflower oil decreases lipid peroxidation evaluated by MDA levels (p < 0.001) and increases antioxidant defenses as shown by SOD, CAT, GST and GSH levels (p < 0.05). In our study, the composition of flavonoids present in the oil was not evaluated. Furthermore, in a future study, the effect of maternal consumption on female offspring should be verified. ConclusionMaternal intake of safflower oil could: (1) change neonate reflex parameters, (2) promote improvement of cognitive development in adolescence (3) improve antioxidant enzymatic and non-enzymatic defenses in the hippocampus.

Digital Competence, Use, Actions and Time Dedicated to Digital Devices: Repercussions on the Interpersonal Relationships of Spanish Adolescents.

Digital media play a fundamental role in the social, emotional, and cognitive development of adolescents, since they involve a very significant use and investment of time at this age. The objectives of this work are twofold: analyze the use of the Internet and digital devices by Spanish young people outside school, and the time they use them and their attitude towards the use of digital devices, as well as to identify the effects of the use of internet and digital devices on social and interpersonal relationships. The sample is composed of 35,943 students of Compulsory Secondary Education, from different Spanish high schools that participated in the PISA 2018 Report. The data provided by this study confirm the widespread consumption of digital devices. Identified as actions that they carry out every day were: the use of online chat, use of social networks to contact their friends, and surfing the internet for fun. Regarding the attitude towards digital devices, the participants say they feel comfortable using digital devices and discovering new applications or games. However, we also found as one of the most relevant results of this study the fact that participants say they feel bad if they do not have internet connection.

Head circumference trajectories during the first two years of life and cognitive development, emotional, and behavior problems in adolescence: a cohort study.

Early-life HC trajectories were associated with adolescent cognitive development. HC may serve as an inexpensive screening tool to monitor child development at risk during the first 18months, particularly in resource-limited settings. • Postnatal head circumference (HC) has been shown to be associated with cognitive development in infants who were born premature and/or fetal growth restriction, while inconsistent associations were reported among generally healthy populations, especially in low- and middle- income countries, challenging its utility in public health practices. • Adolescents in the HC growth trajectory of consistently above average had higher cognitive scores compared to those with other suboptimal trajectories, whilenull findings were observed for adolescent emotional and behavioral health. • HC may serve as an inexpensive screening tool to monitor child development at risk during the first 18 months of life, particularly in resource-limited settings.

Prior test experience confounds longitudinal tracking of adolescent cognitive and motor development

BackgroundAccurate measurement of trajectories in longitudinal studies, considered the gold standard method for tracking functional growth during adolescence, decline in aging, and change after head injury, is subject to confounding by testing experience.MethodsWe measured change in cognitive and motor abilities over four test sessions (baseline and three annual assessments) in 154 male and 165 female participants (baseline age 12–21 years) from the National Consortium on Alcohol and NeuroDevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) study. At each of the four test sessions, these participants were given a test battery using computerized administration and traditional pencil and paper tests that yielded accuracy and speed measures for multiple component cognitive (ion, Attention, Emotion, Episodic memory, Working memory, and General Ability) and motor (Ataxia and Speed) functions. The analysis aim was to dissociate neurodevelopment from testing experience by using an adaptation of the twice-minus-once tested method, which calculated the difference between longitudinal change (comprising developmental plus practice effects) and practice-free initial cross-sectional performance for each consecutive pairs of test sessions. Accordingly, the first set of analyses quantified the effects of learning (i.e., prior test experience) on accuracy and after speed domain scores. Then developmental effects were determined for each domain for accuracy and speed having removed the measured learning effects.ResultsThe greatest gains in performance occurred between the first and second sessions, especially in younger participants, regardless of sex, but practice gains continued to accrue thereafter for several functions. For all 8 accuracy composite scores, the developmental effect after accounting for learning was significant across age and was adequately described by linear fits. The learning-adjusted developmental effects for speed were adequately described by linear fits for ion, Emotion, Episodic Memory, General Ability, and Motor scores, although a nonlinear fit was better for Attention, Working Memory, and Average Speed scores.ConclusionThus, what appeared as accelerated cognitive and motor development was, in most cases, attributable to learning. Recognition of the substantial influence of prior testing experience is critical for accurate characterization of normal development and for developing norms for clinical neuropsychological investigations of conditions affecting the brain.

Intimate Partner Violence and Child and Adolescent Cognitive Development: A Systematic Review

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health and human rights issue, with millions of children affected worldwide. While several reviews have explored the emotional-behavioural functioning of children exposed to IPV, this review aimed to examine the relationship between children's exposure to IPV and their cognitive development, and to identify associated factors such as aspects of parenting. The databases MEDLINE, PsycInfo, EMBASE, Family and Society Studies Worldwide, CINAHL, and ERIC were searched using key words related to IPV, such as domestic, family, partner, interparental, spousal, marital, violence, abuse, aggression, assault, combined with key words related to cognitive functioning, such as neuropsychological, executive, intelligence, learning, memory, and key words related to children and adolescents. A total of 38 studies met the criteria for review which included reporting an estimate of the relationship between IPV and cognition using direct assessments of cognitive functioning. Approximately 70% of studies found a relationship between IPV and poorer cognitive functioning, with general IQ the most frequently assessed domain of functioning, followed by verbal abilities and academic skills. Most studies assessed skills during early childhood, with fewer studies assessing children during middle childhood and adolescence. Results were consistent across cognitive domains and developmental stages. In terms of factors associated with IPV and cognition, a range of demographic, individual, and family factors were included, with several studies exploring mediating and moderating mechanisms. The findings suggest that IPV in childhood is associated with poorer cognitive skills across a range of domains. Implications for policy, practice and research are discussed.

Recreational Marijuana Use, Adolescent Cognitive Development, and Schizophrenia Susceptibility

BackgroundWe investigated how low marijuana (MJ) use levels, the typical use pattern in most adolescent users, affect cognitive maturation and schizophrenia risk. MethodsIn two complementary adolescent samples where the majority reported minimal MJ use, we compared cognitive performances before and after MJ use initiation. The Iowa sample (40 first-degree relatives and 54 second-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia and 117 control subjects with no schizophrenia family history) underwent a battery of standardized neuropsychological tests at 0, 18, and 36 months. Based on self-administered Timeline Followback interviews, 26.5% of adolescents had emergent MJ use (eMJ) during follow-up. The second sample (n = 3463), derived from a birth cohort, received substance use and sustained attention assessments between ages 10 and 15 years. Mixed linear models and regression analyses tested the effects of eMJ on longitudinal changes in cognitive performance. ResultsIn the Iowa sample, longitudinal changes in 5 of 8 cognitive domains were significantly associated with eMJ. On sustained attention, visuospatial working memory, and executive sequencing, adolescents with eMJ showed less age-expected improved performance. In addition, first-degree relatives with eMJ were less improved on processing speed and executive reasoning than first-degree relatives without eMJ. In the birth cohort, greater intraindividual variability in reaction times (indicative of poorer sustained attention) was significantly associated with more frequent MJ use and with recreational use levels. ConclusionsNonheavy MJ use disrupts normal adolescent maturation and compounds aberrant adolescent maturation associated with familial schizophrenia risk. These findings underscore the importance of reducing adolescent MJ access in the context of increased availability to high-potency MJ.

The Prevalence of Preadolescent Eating Disorders in the United States

PurposeThe prevalence of eating disorders (EDs) in young children remains relatively unknown. Here, we aimed to assess the prevalence of anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), binge ED (BED), and their subclinical derivatives, among 10- to 11-year-old children in the United States. MethodsCross-sectional data from the year 1 sample of the nationwide Adolescent Cognitive Brain Development study were extracted, and unadjusted prevalence of EDs was reported, as per DSM-5 criteria. ResultsAmong 10- to 11-year-old children in the United States, no cases of AN were reported. The prevalence of BN was negligible, whereas the prevalence of BED was 1.1%. The prevalence of subclinical AN, BN, and BED was 6%, 0.2%, and 0.5%, respectively. DiscussionBED is the most prevalent ED subtype among preadolescent children in the United States, although subclinical markers for all ED subtypes are evident in this age range.

Postnatal Stature Does Not Largely Mediate the Relation between Adverse Birth Outcomes and Cognitive Development in Mid-Childhood and Early Adolescence in Rural Western China

BackgroundPreterm birth and fetal growth restriction are associated with linear growth faltering and suboptimal cognitive development in childhood. ObjectivesWe aimed to investigate whether and to what extent the associations between adverse birth outcomes and cognitive development in mid-childhood and early adolescence are mediated by postnatal stature. MethodsWe used data from a prospective birth cohort of children born to women who participated in a large cluster-randomized trial of antenatal micronutrient supplementation in rural western China. Children were followed up for anthropometric assessments at 6, 12, and 24 mo of age and in mid-childhood (7–9 y). Cognitive development was assessed in mid-childhood (n = 669) and early adolescence (n = 735; 10–12 y) using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV. We conducted a causal mediation analysis to evaluate the proportion of the association of low birth weight (LBW; <2500 g), small-for-gestational age (SGA; <10th percentile), and preterm birth (<37 weeks of gestation) with cognitive development in mid-childhood and early adolescence that was mediated by postnatal length/height-for-age and -sex z score (LAZ/HAZ) during the first 2 y of life and in mid-childhood. ResultsLBW and SGA, but not preterm birth, were associated with lower cognitive test scores in mid-childhood and early adolescence. The proportion of the total association of SGA with adolescent cognitive development that was mediated by LAZ/HAZ at 6, 12, and 24 mo of age and in mid-childhood was 25%, 32%, 32%, and 27%, respectively. The corresponding proportions for LBW were 25%, 32%, 16%, and 24%, respectively. ConclusionsThe association of LBW and SGA with cognitive development in mid-childhood and adolescence is not largely mediated by postnatal stature during the first 2 y of life. Postnatal interventions that address the antecedent causes of poor child growth and development, rather than early childhood growth alone, are more likely to mitigate the risk of suboptimal development among SGA and LBW children. This trial was registered at www.isrctn.com as ISRCTN08850194.