Research Summaries: Self-Control Protects Against Overweight Status in the Transition from Childhood to Adolescence

This study was a prospective longitudinal study that looked at nearly 850 children in a birth cohort, and measured their self control at age 9 and correlated it with their BMI at age 15. Self-control at age 9 was operationalised using informant ratings by mother, father and teacher on the items related to self-control on the  Social Skills Rating System (SSRS)questionnaire.  Overweight status was established by classifying those with BMI z-scores falling above 85th percentile as overweight. Other potential confounds like intelligence, pubertal status etc were also measured and used in the analysis. The results showed that the overweight children (at age 15) were half a standard deviation lower on self-control (at age 9) that the normal weight children. Similarly, those children who showed higher self control than average at age 9, were less likely to become overweight at age 15. The study is important because it points to one mutable, and under one’s control, factor that leads to excessive weight gain – Self control. Thus, this factor , self-control, can and should be taught during the childhood to adolescence transition.  It will not only help the obesity epidemic but will lead to other gains too! If you want to dig deeper, here is the original article. Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)
Source: The Mouse Trap - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Research Summaries Angela Duckworth self-control Source Type: podcasts