TY - JOUR
T1 - Weight-Based Teasing and Metabolic Syndrome Components among Adolescent Military Dependents at Risk for Adult Obesity
AU - Rice, Alexander J.
AU - Schvey, Natasha A.
AU - Shank, Lisa M.
AU - Neyland, M. K.Higgins
AU - Lavender, Jason M.
AU - Solomon, Senait
AU - Hennigan, Kathrin
AU - Schindler, Rachel
AU - Sbrocco, Tracy
AU - Jorgensen, Sarah
AU - Stephens, Mark
AU - Haigney, Mark
AU - Klein, David A.
AU - Quinlan, Jeffrey
AU - Yanovski, Jack A.
AU - Tanofsky-Kraff, Marian
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright 2021, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers 2021.
PY - 2021/3
Y1 - 2021/3
N2 - Background: Among adults, weight stigma is associated with markers of poor cardiometabolic health. Although weight-based teasing (WBT) is common among youth with high body weight, few studies have examined its associations with cardiometabolic markers. Owing to unique stressors (e.g., parental deployment and frequent moves), military-dependent youth may be at particularly high risk for obesity, WBT, and poor cardiometabolic health. We, therefore, assessed associations between WBT and cardiometabolic health markers among adolescent military dependents presenting for a weight gain prevention trial. Methods: Participants underwent fasting phlebotomy; had fasting weight, height, and waist circumference measured; and completed assessments of WBT, anxiety, and loss-of-control eating. Multivariate analysis of covariance, adjusting for relevant covariates including demographics and body composition, was used to examine differences in metabolic syndrome (MetS) components (waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose) between youth reporting WBT and youth reporting no WBT. Bootstrapped models examined whether WBT mediated the relationship between BMIz and MetS components. Results: Data from 142 youth (57.7% female; 14.4 ± 1.6 years; 51.2% non-Hispanic White, 20.9% non-Hispanic Black; BMIz: 1.9 ± 0.4) were analyzed. WBT was not significantly associated with any MetS component. Relationships were observed between BMIz and all MetS components (except systolic blood pressure and glucose), although WBT did not significantly mediate these relationships (p's > 0.05). Conclusions: This study did not find support for a relationship between WBT and MetS components in adolescent military dependents at risk for adult obesity. Prospective research is needed to determine whether associations between WBT and adverse cardiometabolic outcomes emerge primarily in adulthood.
AB - Background: Among adults, weight stigma is associated with markers of poor cardiometabolic health. Although weight-based teasing (WBT) is common among youth with high body weight, few studies have examined its associations with cardiometabolic markers. Owing to unique stressors (e.g., parental deployment and frequent moves), military-dependent youth may be at particularly high risk for obesity, WBT, and poor cardiometabolic health. We, therefore, assessed associations between WBT and cardiometabolic health markers among adolescent military dependents presenting for a weight gain prevention trial. Methods: Participants underwent fasting phlebotomy; had fasting weight, height, and waist circumference measured; and completed assessments of WBT, anxiety, and loss-of-control eating. Multivariate analysis of covariance, adjusting for relevant covariates including demographics and body composition, was used to examine differences in metabolic syndrome (MetS) components (waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose) between youth reporting WBT and youth reporting no WBT. Bootstrapped models examined whether WBT mediated the relationship between BMIz and MetS components. Results: Data from 142 youth (57.7% female; 14.4 ± 1.6 years; 51.2% non-Hispanic White, 20.9% non-Hispanic Black; BMIz: 1.9 ± 0.4) were analyzed. WBT was not significantly associated with any MetS component. Relationships were observed between BMIz and all MetS components (except systolic blood pressure and glucose), although WBT did not significantly mediate these relationships (p's > 0.05). Conclusions: This study did not find support for a relationship between WBT and MetS components in adolescent military dependents at risk for adult obesity. Prospective research is needed to determine whether associations between WBT and adverse cardiometabolic outcomes emerge primarily in adulthood.
KW - adolescents
KW - metabolic syndrome
KW - military
KW - obesity
KW - overweight
KW - weight-based teasing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85102885536&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1089/chi.2020.0256
DO - 10.1089/chi.2020.0256
M3 - Article
C2 - 33434443
AN - SCOPUS:85102885536
SN - 2153-2168
VL - 17
SP - 116
EP - 124
JO - Childhood Obesity
JF - Childhood Obesity
IS - 2
ER -