Children with behavioural problems more at risk of ill health

5 September 2013

Children with behavioural problems may be at risk of many chronic diseases in adulthood including heart disease and diabetes, illnesses that result in part from chronic inflammation.

Analysing data on more than 4,000 participants in Children of the 90s, researchers from Harvard and Columbia universities found that children with behavioural problems at the age of 8, had higher levels of two proteins (CRP and IL-6) in their blood when tested at the age of 10.This was the case even after a large number of other factors, including sex, race, background and medication use, were taken into account.

Having raised levels of CRP and IL-6 suggests chronic inflammation is occurring and can be an early warning sign that a person may be at risk of subsequently developing major health conditions including heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

Previous research has shown that children with behavioural problems can go on to develop health problems during adulthood but this is the first time that a link has been found between mental health and chronic inflammation in childhood, suggesting the possible childhood origins of adult disease.

The researchers believe the link may be due to the fact that many behavioural problems are associated with dysregulation in the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis plays a major role in controlling reactions to stress and the immune system and, if it malfunctions, it can stimulate the release of the two proteins that cause chronically elevated levels of inflammation, which is a tissue’s response to injury.

Speaking about the findings, Dr Karestan Koenen, the report’s senior author, said:

‘This new research shows for the first time that having behavioural problems in childhood can put children on the path to ill health much earlier than we previously realised. The important message for healthcare professionals is that they need to monitor ongoing physical health as well as the mental health of children with behavioural problems in order to identify those at risk as early as possible.’

Further information

The paper, ‘Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms and Elevated Inflammatory Markers in Childhood’ by Slopen N et al is published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology and can be downloaded here.

Please contact Dara O'Hare for further information.