Childhood adversity is associated with higher adult weight, but few investigations prospectively test mechanisms accounting for this association. Using two socioeconomically high-risk prospective longitudinal investigations, the Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Risk and Adaptation (MLSRA; N = 267; 45.3% female) and the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS; n = 2,587; 48.5% female), pathways between childhood adversity and later body mass index (BMI) were tested using impulsivity, emotion dysregulation, and overeating as mediators. Childhood adversity from 0 to 5 years included four types of adversities: greater unpredictability, threat/abuse, deprivation/neglect, and low socioeconomic status. Parents reported on child impulsivity, emotion dysregulation, and overeating. Height and weight were self-reported and measured at 32 and 37 years in MLSRA and at 15 years in FFCWS. FFCWS results indicated that threat, deprivation, and low socioeconomic status predicted greater impulsivity and emotion dysregulation at 5 years, which in turn predicted greater overeating at 9 years and higher BMI z-score at 15 years. Early unpredictability in FFCWS predicted higher BMI through greater impulsivity but not emotion dysregulation at age 5. MLSRA regression results replicated the threat/abuse → emotion dysregulation → overeating → higher BMI pathway. These findings suggest that different dimensions of early adversity may follow both similar and unique pathways to predict BMI.

童年逆境与成人体重较高有关，但很少有调查前瞻性地测试解释这种关联的机制。使用两项社会经济高风险前瞻性纵向调查，即明尼苏达州风险和适应纵向研究（MLSRA；N = 267；45.3% 为女性）和脆弱家庭和儿童福祉研究（FFCWS；n= 2,587；48.5% 的女性），使用冲动、情绪失调和暴饮暴食作为中介来测试童年逆境和后来的体重指数 (BMI) 之间的途径。0 至 5 岁的童年逆境包括四种类型的逆境：更大的不可预测性、威胁/虐待、剥夺/忽视和低社会经济地位。父母报告了孩子的冲动、情绪失调和暴饮暴食。身高和体重在 MLSRA 中为 32 岁和 37 岁，在 FFCWS 中为 15 岁时自行报告和测量。FFCWS 结果表明，威胁、剥夺和低社会经济地位预示着 5 岁时会出现更大的冲动和情绪失调，这反过来又预示着 9 岁时会出现更大的暴饮暴食和更高的 BMI z- 15 岁时的分数。FFCWS 的早期不可预测性通过更大的冲动预测了更高的 BMI，而不是 5 岁时的情绪失调。MLSRA 回归结果复制了威胁/虐待→情绪失调→暴饮暴食→更高的 BMI 路径。这些发现表明，早期逆境的不同维度可能遵循相似且独特的途径来预测 BMI。