A pair of researchers conducted a study in which they tracked over 1,000 children from birth to age 5 to see if the infants’ lipid profiles affected them later on in life. What they found was that the children born with high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglycerides in their cord blood samples were more inclined to get lower ratings from teachers on both emotional and social development scales.
Psychological scientists Ian Gotlib of Stanford University and Erika M. Manczak of the University of Denver analyzed 1,369 children by measuring the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides (the fat that can cause heart attacks and stroke) in their blood at birth, then gathering data from teachers when they were five years old.
The results of the blood tests, when born, could predict how the teachers would eventually rate them in terms of self-awareness, emotion regulation, and interpersonal behavior, years later, when beginning school. The babies born with high levels of certain types of fat and bad cholesterol had a heightened risk for psychological and social problems in childhood. The results have been published in Psychological Science.
The Study
- The data came from an ongoing study.
- It involved children born in Bradford, UK, between March 2007 and December 2010.
- Gotlib and Manczak gathered data of 1,369 of these children from birth to age five.
- The children came from various ethnic backgrounds.
- At age 3, the mothers rated their child’s health.
- At age 4-5, the teachers rated the child’s psychological development, including emotional control, self-confidence, and interpersonal relationships. They had to classify each child as either below or exceeding developmental expectations.
The Results
- Newborns with cord blood tests showing high levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were much more likely to receive higher ratings by their teachers.
- On the contrary, newborns with cord blood tests showing high levels of triglycerides and very-low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were much more likely to receive low ratings by their teachers.
- The results were the same regardless of gender or ethnic group.
Conclusion
The study doesn’t mean that lipids do cause mental health issues, but they might. Manczak said:
“If this is replicated in other studies, it would suggest that lipid profiles at birth could play a role in identifying children who might be at heightened risk for psychological problems later, allowing health care providers to intervene early. It also introduces the possibility that lipids may be a new mechanism to consider when trying to understand what causes mental health problems.”
The findings are just correlational, but the results do introduce the possibility that fats may be an important consideration when attempting to understand the causes of mental health problems.
