Associations between mental and physical conditions in children and adolescents: An umbrella review

• Published in: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews 2022-06, Vol.137, p.104662, Article 104662
• Main Authors: Arrondo, Gonzalo, Solmi, Marco, Dragioti, Elena, Eudave, Luis, Ruiz-Goikoetxea, Maite, Ciaurriz-Larraz, Amaia M., Magallon, Sara, Carvalho, Andre F., Cipriani, Andrea, Fusar-Poli, Paolo, Larsson, Henrik, Correll, Christoph U., Cortese, Samuele
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Asthma - complications; Asthma - epidemiology; Child; Humans; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Mental; meta-analysis; Obesity - complications; Obesity - epidemiology; Physical; Transdiagnostic; Umbrella review
• ISSN: 0149-7634; 1873-7528; 1873-7528
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104662

We mapped the evidence on the type and strength of associations between a broad range of mental and physical conditions in children and adolescents, by carrying out an umbrella review, i.e., a quantitative synthesis of previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses. We also assessed to which extent the links between mental and physical conditions vary across disorders or, by contrast, are transdiagnostic. Based on a pre-established protocol, we retained 45 systematic reviews/meta-analyses, encompassing around 12.5 million of participants. In analyses limited to the most rigorous estimates, we found evidence for the following associations: ADHD-asthma, ADHD-obesity, and depression-asthma. A transdiagnostic association was confirmed between asthma and anxiety/ASD/depression/bipolar disorder, between obesity and ADHD/ASD/depression, and between dermatitis and ASD/ADHD. We conclude that obesity and allergic conditions are likely to be associated with mental disorders in children and adolescents. Our results can help clinicians explore potential links between mental and physical conditions in children/adolescent and provide a road map for future studies aimed at shading light on the underlying factors. •An umbrella review encompassing over 12 million participants was carried out.•Neurodevelopmental disorders were associated with several physical disorders.•There was also evidence of associations between physical and mood/anxiety disorders.•Obesity and allergic conditions have robust associations with mental disorders.