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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 10/2007

01-10-2007 | ORIGINAL PAPER

Body size and violent offending among males in the Northern Finland 1966 birth cohort

Authors: Pauliina Ikäheimo, MD, Pirkko Räsänen, MD, PhD, Helinä Hakko, MSc, PhD, Anna-Liisa Hartikainen, MD, PhD, Jaana Laitinen, MSc, PhD, Sheilagh Hodgins, PhD, Jari Tiihonen, MD, PhD

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 10/2007

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Abstract

Background

Childhood onset aggressive behavior is one of the most stable human characteristics. Previous literature indicates that this behavioral trait may be associated with body size. The present study investigated the association between body sizes at different ages and committing violent crimes in adulthood.

Method

The Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort includes 5636 males followed up to age 31 years prospectively. Information on criminality was extracted from official records. Body sizes were measured at birth, 12 months and 14 years of age, and compared the violent and the non-violent offenders with the non-offenders. Optimal cut-off points for each of the body size measures for the differentiation of the three groups were identified. Odds ratios were adjusted taking account of maternal age, socioeconomic status of the family of origin, mother’s marital status, parity, smoking during pregnancy, gestational age and unwanted pregnancy.

Results

Both high body mass index (BMI) and small head circumference at 12 months were associated with increased risk of violent offending (adjusted ORs 1.6–1.8). High BMI at 12 months combined with small head circumference was associated with substantially increased risk of violent offending (OR 4.2, 95% CI 2.6–6.8).

Conclusions

In males, small head circumference and large body size at 12 months of age were strongly associated with an increased risk of violent, but not non-violent offending in adulthood. The measures at 12 months were the strongest predictors, suggesting that this association may be explained by genetic or early environmental factors, rather than social learning later in childhood and adolescence.
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Metadata
Title
Body size and violent offending among males in the Northern Finland 1966 birth cohort
Authors
Pauliina Ikäheimo, MD
Pirkko Räsänen, MD, PhD
Helinä Hakko, MSc, PhD
Anna-Liisa Hartikainen, MD, PhD
Jaana Laitinen, MSc, PhD
Sheilagh Hodgins, PhD
Jari Tiihonen, MD, PhD
Publication date
01-10-2007
Publisher
D. Steinkopff-Verlag
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 10/2007
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-007-0231-y

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