Good mental health at 11 'cuts later obesity risk'

Good mental health at age 11 reduces the risk of being overweight or obese at 17, a study has found.

Researchers at the University of Liverpool and Maynooth University published its findings in the journal Obesity, which included more than 8,000 youngsters.

They found age 11 "may be a sensitive period in which psychological wellbeing is associated with future body weight".

Data from 4,556 11-year-olds and 3,791 14-year-olds considered overweight or obese was analysed, with the group being followed up once aged 17.

Psychological wellbeing was ranked using questions answered by children and their caregivers on issues such as self-esteem, happiness with life, depressive symptoms, social support, satisfaction with appearance and online bullying.

The study found better mental health and psychosocial wellbeing at age 11, but not at age 14, was associated with the reversal of being overweight or obese by 17.

Among those classed as overweight or obese at age 11 or 14, about 16% - 12% of 11-year-olds and 4% of 14-year-olds - were considered a normal weight at 17.

Dr I Gusti Ngurah Edi Putra, from the Institute of Population Health at the University of Liverpool, said: "While further work needs to be done to understand why early adolescence is a critical point, we know this is a time in a child's life when they may be experiencing change - moving up into high school for example."

She said integrating psychological support into current obesity prevention and treatment could be helpful.

Professor Eric Robinson, also from the institute, said being overweight or obese was "difficult to live with psychologically".

"As a society we need to be doing a much better job of supporting people with obesity if we are to ever make serious progress in reducing obesity," he added.

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