Background: Cross-sectional and predictive associations between temperament and some essential parameters of the metabolic syndrome were examined in children.
Methods: A 3-year follow-up study of 1,589 randomly selected, healthy, 6-, 9-, 12-, and 15-year-old children was used. Somatic parameters studied were serum insulin, serum glucose, serum HDL cholesterol, serum triglycerides, systolic blood pressure, and body-mass index. Temperament of the subjects was rated by their mothers using a questionnaire and a semantic differential.
Results: Temperamental factors were related cross-sectionally to, as well as predicted for, the metabolic syndrome precursors over the 3-year period. Mental vitality and positive emotionality were likely to be related and positive emotionality were likely to be related to a low somatic risk level, whereas hyperactivity, negative emotionality (e.g., aggression and anger), responsivity to others, and cooperativeness were related to a high level of somatic risk. These associations were more evident in boys than in girls.
Conclusions: It was suggested that temperament might be of importance in the early development of the metabolic syndrome.