An Unpredictable Childhood Could Make You Obese, Report Says

You've heard the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics over and over again – more than one-third of U.S. adults are obese – but what can get lost in the shuffle is why. New research has found that those who have unpredictable childhoods because of divorce, lots of moving around or crime are more at risk for becoming obese adults.

People from backgrounds such as these were more prone to overeating compared to those who had stable childhoods, according to Florida State University professor of psychology Jon Maner, who wrote the study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The cornerstone of Maner's analysis is "Life History Theory" – "rooted in the idea that people have a limited amount of reproductive energy in their lives, and the way they use that energy is influenced by the amount of structure they experience during childhood." This study is being touted as the first time this theory has been applied to studying obesity. Previous research has connected low socioeconomic status with obesity, but has not labeled what the root cause is.

What this theory means in context: People who had unpredictable childhoods could have a "fast-life-history strategy" as adults – i.e. they live in the present, have children younger and look for instant gratification. Predictable childhoods might mean a "slow-life-history strategy," where people opt for long-term goals and save for retirement.

The research was composed of two studies. Study 1 took data from an ethnically and racially diverse group of 113 married couples (226 people) and looked at how childhood socioeconomic status corresponded with participants' weight and obesity status as adults. Study 2 involved an online group of 400 who tested "a serial mediation model accounting for the associations among childhood [socioeconomic status], childhood unpredictability, life-history strategy, the presence of dysregulated eating behaviors, and obesity." Researchers controlled for the adults' current socioeconomic status.

What can help prevent obesity for these kids? Stability plays a key role.

"Our research suggests it's not just about reducing stress, it's more about creating structure and predictability for children," Maner said in a statement. "For example, have family meals at the same time each night or bedtime rituals every day. Routines teach children to have expectations that, when met, result in a sense of certainty and structure. Theoretically, that feeling of predictability instills a slower-life-history strategy, which may reduce obesity in adulthood."