Children who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop schizophrenia as adults, according to a recent study.
But adults with excess weight seem to have a lower risk of both schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the scientists also found.
The study, published today by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), investigated links between childhood body mass index (BMI) and several conditions, including schizophrenia, OCD, depression, anxiety and Alzheimer's.
"Our study provides compelling evidence for a direct and enduring effect of childhood BMI on the risk of schizophrenia later in life, independent of adulthood BMI and lifestyle factors," the authors wrote in the paper. "These findings underscore the critical importance of early-life interventions to mitigate the long-term mental health consequences of childhood obesity."
Approximately one in five children and adolescents in the U.S. are obese, with those from Hispanic, Black and lower-income families disproportionately affected, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The authors wrote that they did not know why childhood BMI seemed to be linked with schizophrenia later in life, nor why the inverse was true later on, but suggested that excess weight might alter the structure of young brains during critical development stages.
Their evidence indicated that the relationship between schizophrenia and childhood obesity was causal—in other words, schizophrenia seemed to be caused by childhood obesity, rather than simply likely to happen afterward.
The trend was consistent regardless of adulthood obesity and other lifestyle factors that could impact results.
"Our study provides robust evidence for policymakers and healthcare professionals to develop targeted interventions aimed at reducing childhood obesity and mitigating its long-term consequences for mental health," the authors wrote.
They found no association between childhood obesity and the other psychiatric conditions that were investigated: OCD, Alzheimer's, anxiety and depression.
To come to these conclusions, the team—led by scientist Pei Xiao—collected data from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and FinnGen study, including large-scale genetic data that the authors said helped them enhance the robustness of their study, so it imitated a randomized controlled trial: the gold-standard of nutrition science.
However, there were limitations too. For one thing, everyone included in the study was of European descent, so these findings do not necessarily apply to other ethnic groups.
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Reference
Xiao, P., Li, C., Mi, J., & Wu, J. (2024). Evaluating the distinct effects of body mass index at childhood and adulthood on adult major psychiatric disorders. Science Advances, 10. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adq2452
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