Niu Z, et al. - Physicians aimed to determine prospective effects of the childhood parent-child relationships on the development of cardiovascular risks in adolescence. A significant influence of childhood parent-child relationships was found on the development of cardiovascular risks during adolescence. The effect was further modified by both parents' and child's gender.

Methods

• Physicians conducted this study by using available 917 parent-child dyads from the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (1991 to 2006).
• They examined the prospective effects of childhood parent-child relationships of Conflict and Closeness, as well as their categorized combinations (Harmonic, Dramatic, Hostile, and Indifferent) on the development of subscapular and triceps skinfold thickness (SST/TST), body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP), and heart rate (HR) during adolescence.

Results

• The growth rate of TST among girls during adolescence was increased due to higher levels of Conflict in the relationship with mothers (slope = 0.05, P < 0.001) and fathers (slope = 0.04, P=0.03).
• This was not noted among boys.
• Moreover, the maternal-girl dyadic with higher Conflict scores increased girl's growth rate of BMI percentile (slope = 0.10, P=0.02).
• However, the paternal-boy dyadic with higher Conflict scores decreased boy's growth rate of BMI percentile (slope = -0.13, P=0.04).
• Boy's growth rate of SBP (slope = - 3.15, P < 0.001) and DBP (slope = - 4.42, P < 0.001) was lowered due to a Hostile maternal-son relationship.
• As per findings, a Dramatic maternal-son relationship increased boy's growth rate of SST (slope = 0.89, P < 0.001) and TST (slope = 0.64, P=0.03).
• A positive association was found between hostile paternal-daughter relationships with the growth rate of TST (slope = 0.28, P=0.03).