Sex Differences in the Relationship Between Childhood Self-Regulation and Adolescent Adiposity

Objective Research suggests that higher childhood self-regulation (CSR) predicts lower adiposity in adolescence. However, it is unclear whether this relationship differs by sex or by baseline weight status. Thus, this study investigated these questions in a longitudinal, community-based cohort. Methods The cohort included 221 girls and 214 boys. At age 9, CSR was assessed via parent/teacher reports of effortful control, and childhood BMIzscores (BMIz) were calculated from staff measurements. Late-adolescent waist-to-height ratio was based on staff measurements at age 18. Results CSR has a small inverse correlation with concurrent childhood BMIzin girls, but not in boys. Prospectively, however, CSR has a small inverse association with late-adolescent weight-to-height ratio in both sexes, after adjusting for childhood BMIzand other childhood predictors. This prospective association is marginally stronger for girls with higher (vs. lower) childhood BMIz. Conclusions CSR inversely predicts changes in adiposity across adolescence in both sexes, with some evidence that this association is stronger for girls with higher (vs. lower) childhood adiposity. However, this inverse association between CSR and adiposity may emerge earlier in girls. Future research should examine the causal status of CSR and its relationship to behaviors (e.g., diet).