Assistant Professor Uniformed Services University Uniformed Services University Takoma Park, Maryland, United States
Background: Moving is associated with increased stress, and is common for military families. Child stress has been associated with overweight/obesity. Effects of moves on overweight/obesity are not known.
Objective: To determine the effect of childhood moves on diagnosed overweight/obesity at ages 17-18 overall and by sex.
Design/Methods: Military dependents aged 10 in 2008-10 who were enrolled in, and received military healthcare until age 18 were identified. Changes to assigned home military treatment facility were identified as moves; adolescents were categorized as experiencing 0, 1, 2-3, 4-5 and 6+ moves. Overweight/obesity status was identified by International Classifications of Diseases 9/10 Codes in the outpatient care record, when adolescents were 17 or 18. Sex of the adolescent, preventive care (at age17-18), and military parent sex, rank, and marital status were included as covariates. Logistic regression determined odds of diagnosed overweight/obesity.
Results: Of 326,622 included adolescents, 99,367 (30.4%) did not move, 85,544 (26.2%) moved once, 103,696 (31.8%) moved 2-3 times, 32,433 (9.9%) moved 4-5 times, and 5,582 (1.7%) moved 6+ times. 23,567 (7.2%) adolescents including 14,039 (8.7%) females and 9,528 (5.8%) males were diagnosed with overweight/obesity. In unadjusted analysis odds of diagnosed obesity/overweight were decreased 3% with 1 move, 9% with 2-3 moves, 16% with 4-5 moves, and 16% with 6+ moves. Odds of diagnosed overweight/obesity were increased with preventive care, female sex, having female and junior enlisted military parents, and not associated with parent marital status. In adjusted analysis 1 move was associated with 3% decreased odds of diagnosed overweight/obesity, 2-3 moves with a 10% decrease, 4-5 moves with a 20% decrease, and 6+ moves with a 22% decrease. In female adolescents odds of diagnosed overweight/obesity was not associated with moving 1 or 6+ times, and was decreased 4% with 2-3 moved, and decreased 14% with 4-5 moves. In male adolescents odds of diagnosed overweight/obesity was decreased 7% with 1 move, 19% with 2-3 moves, 29% with 4-5 moves and 42% with 6+moves (Table 1). Conclusion(s): Contrary to our hypothesis, military moves were associated with decreased odds of adolescent overweight/obesity, even after adjustment for preventive care. Decreases were more pronounced in males. Results may be military specific with increased moves and decreased odds of overweight/obesity being associated with more militaristic families.
Table 1: Odd of diagnosed adolescence overweight/obese by moves childhood moves
Authors/Institutions: Elizabeth J. Hisle-Gorman, Uniformed Services University, Takoma Park, Maryland, United States; Apryl Susi, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, United States; Ian S. Sorensen, The George Washington University, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
