Abstract
Background: It has been suggested that obese children have lower cognitive function, demonstrate poorer physical performance and are more susceptible to social-emotional problems.
Aims: To describe associations between human physical growth, cognitive development, physical fitness and social-emotional characteristics of obese and non-obese children and to verify the predictors of intellectual coefficient by socioeconomic status (SES).
Subjects and methods: A sample of 107 non-obese (N-Ob) children [−1 z-score body mass index (BMI) ≤1 z-score] and 108 obese (Ob) children [2 z-score ≤BMI ≤5 z-score] from a larger cohort was evaluated. Intellectual coefficient (IQ), social-emotional wellbeing (SEW), 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and SES (mid-low, low and very low) were assessed.
Results: Ob children were taller, heavier and present more height for age and BMI than N-Ob children (p < 0.001). A significant correlation between IQ and SEW (r = 0.14), 6MWT and BMI z-score (r = −0.18) and 6MWT and SEW (r = 0.15) was found. Multiple regression analysis revealed that BMI z-score had a negative impact on IQ in the mid-low SES sub-group and that SEW had a positive effect on IQ in the very-low SES sub-group.
Conclusions: In Chilean pre-school children from low-income families cognitive ability varied according to SES.
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by grants from FONDECYT (Project 1090252), the Chilean National Board for School Assistance and Scholarships (Junta Nacional de Auxilio Escolar y Becas, or JUNAEB) and PROMEP México.