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Decision-Making in Childhood Predicts Prodromal Eating Pathology in Adolescence

Harrison, Amy; Francesconi, Marta; Flouri, Eirini; (2022) Decision-Making in Childhood Predicts Prodromal Eating Pathology in Adolescence. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics 10.1097/DBP.0000000000001073. (In press). Green open access

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Differences in decision-making under conditions of risk have been observed cross-sectionally in clinical groups of people with eating disorders but have never been studied longitudinally or in large cohorts. We investigated whether responses on the Cambridge Gambling Task (CGT), measured in the Millennium Cohort Study in childhood, would predict prodromal eating pathology in adolescence. METHOD: Regression models were built to explore relationships between CGT variables at age 11 years and prodromal eating pathology (body dissatisfaction, intention to lose weight, dietary restriction, significant under/overweight, and excessive exercise) at 14 years. RESULTS: In 11,303 boys and girls, those with better quality decision-making were 34% less likely to show an intention to lose weight (b = -0.40, odds ratio [OR] = 0.66, p < 0.05) and 34% less likely to be overweight (b = -0.41, relative risk ratio [RRR] = 0.66, p < 0.05). Those with higher risk-taking were 58% more likely to report dietary restriction (b = 0.45, OR = 1.58, p < 0.05) and 46% more likely to report excessive exercise (b = 0.38, OR = 1.46, p < 0.05). In the complete-cases sample, higher risk-adjustment scores were associated with a 47% increased risk of underweight (b = 0.39, RRR = 1.47, p < 0.05), and better quality of decision-making was associated with a 46% lower risk of overweight (b = -0.60, RRR = 0.54, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Disadvantageous decision-making in childhood may predict prodromal eating pathology in adolescence and might represent a prevention target.

Type: Article
Title: Decision-Making in Childhood Predicts Prodromal Eating Pathology in Adolescence
Location: United States
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1097/DBP.0000000000001073
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1097/DBP.0000000000001073
Language: English
Additional information: © 2022 The Author(s). Published Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (CCBY), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
UCL classification: UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Psychology and Human Development
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education
UCL
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10146481
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