# The Impact of Psychological Health on Childhood Obesity: A Cross-Developmental Stage Analysis
## 2 Materials and Methods
### Psychological Measures and BMI in Early Childhood (8-11 Years Old)
#### 2.3.3 Methodological Approach  
For the dataset related to children above 12 years of age, encompassing various psychological measures and biometric data, we conducted a comprehensive analysis. This dataset, derived from questionnaires and biometric measures of the children, comprised 32 participants. The psychological assessments included Affect Dysregulation score, Affect Suppression score, Adaptive Reflection, attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, Emotional Problems Scale, Conduct Problems Scale, Hyperactivity Scale, Peer Problems, Prosocial Scale, Total Difficulty score, Externalizing score, and Internalizing score. Additionally, it included biometric data: BMI and BMI percentile, alongside the categorical variables of BMI Category and Gender.  
The numerical analysis revealed a mean Affect Dysregulation score of approximately 2.74, with a standard deviation suggesting moderate variability among participants. The Affect Suppression score averaged around 2.82, indicating a slight variation in how individuals suppress negative emotions. The Adaptive Reflection scores, reflecting the capacity for mentalization or understanding the mental states that underlie behavior, averaged 2.91. The attachment-related measures varied, with attachment anxiety averaging around 1.85 and attachment avoidance at about 2.86, hinting at the diverse attachment styles present within the sample.  
The emotional and behavioral problem scales showed a range of responses, with the Emotional Problems Scale averaging 3.53 and the Conduct Problems Scale at 3.19. The hyperactivity scores averaged 4, suggesting varying degrees of attentional focus among the children. Social functioning, as measured by the Peer Problems Scale, had a mean score of 2.13, and the Prosocial Scale, indicating positive social behavior, averaged 7.72. The Total Difficulty score, a composite measure of psychological difficulties, was 12.84 on average, with Externalizing and Internalizing scores highlighting the external and internal psychological focus faced by the participants. The biometric data revealed an average BMI of 22.8, with a BMI percentile mean of 73.06, suggesting a healthy weight status for the majority but also indicating the presence of overweight and obese children in the cohort.  
Categorically, the dataset was almost evenly split between genders, with a slight majority of male participants. The BMI Category distribution showed that most children were classified as healthy, with fewer instances of being overweight and obese.  
This detailed dataset offers a nuanced view of the psychological and biometric profiles of children above 12 years of age, highlighting the interplay between mental health, social functioning, and physical health status. These findings underscore the importance of considering a wide range of factors when assessing the well-being of adolescents, pointing towards the need for holistic approaches to their health and development.  
This dataset captures critical psychological and physical health variables during a pivotal developmental stage. The included psychological assessments cover a range of emotional and behavioral domains, which can be instrumental in understanding the multifaceted nature of childhood obesity. The attachment styles may provide insights into the children's interpersonal relationships and how these might affect or be affected by their weight status.