Assessment of child and adolescent mental health and adolescent health behaviours in a longitudinal cohort

Importance: There is potential for mental health status to act as a determinant of an individual’s ability to engage in healthful lifestyle behaviours. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the associations between parent-reported mental health problems during childhood, and self-reported mental health problems in adolescence, and health behaviours in adolescence. Design: Wave 4 and Wave 6 of the Millennium Cohort Study were utilised in this longitudinal cohort study which were collected in 2008 and 2015, respectively. Regression models were calculated for each lifestyle variable, with mental health change from 7 to 14 years as the exposure variable. Data were weighted to account for the potential clustering of region of sampling and adjusted for non-response. Setting: The Millennium Cohort Study is a UK population-representative longitudinal study of young people born during 2000-2001. Participants: This is a UK population-representative sample of young people (n=4,614). Half (52%) of the sample were female, most (77%) were born in England, and a greater proportion of the final sample had a household income reflective of the highest quintile (27%) compared to lowest quintile (8%). Most (66%) did not have mental health problems at baseline or follow-up. There were 24% who self-reported mental health problems at age 14 years, but did not have parent-reported mental health problems at 7 years. Exposure: Mental health problems at 7 years were parent-reported using Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Mental health problems were self-reported at 14 years using the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire …