Executive Functions and Body Weight at Different Ages: A Preliminary Study.

Francesca Favieri,Eunice Chen,Maria Casagrande

doi:10.3390/nu13041174

Francesca Favieri, Eunice Chen + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13041174

Copy DOI

Journal: Nutrients	Publication Date: Apr 2, 2021
Citations: 6	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Temple University, Sapienza University of Rome

Abstract

Recently, researchers have focused their attention on the role of cognitive processes on eating habits and body weight changes. Few studies have examined the relationship between the first stages of overweight and executive functions (EFs), excluding obesity conditions. This study is aimed to detect the involvement of the EFs and their predictive role on body mass index (BMI) in a sample of healthy individuals from childhood to young adulthood with a cross-sectional design. One-hundred and sixty-six healthy students were recruited from different Italian public schools: 46 children (age range: 7–11), 50 adolescents (age range: 15–18), 70 young adults (age range: 19–30). BMI was used to evaluate body weight and different EFs tasks were used to assess the EFs domains of inhibition, updating and shifting. After adjusting BMI for age, a hierarchical multiple linear regression was carried out for each EFs task. Pearson’s r correlations were reported for each of the age subgroups. Motor disinhibition was associated with greater BMI in the overall sample. Higher BMI was related to poorer set-shifting in adolescence and poorer motor inhibition in young adulthood, but higher BMI was not associated with EFs in childhood. Differences in the development of EFs over time may influence weight changes over time through different responses to food and eating behavior.

Highlights

Obesity is an important public health problem that increases the risk of chronic diseases and psychological problems [1].much data suggest that obesity is a risk factor for the development of neurocognitive decline, independently of age, education, general cognitive condition and other lifestyles or health variables [2,3,4,5,6].The most recent European prevalence data reported that about 58 percent of the population over 18 years is affected by overweight, with a range between 45 (Tajikistan) and 67 percent (Turkey) [7]
Motor disinhibition was associated with greater body mass index (BMI) in the overall sample
This study supports the association between increased BMI and executive functions (EFs) in adolescence and young adulthood in a sample ranging from a healthy weight to overweight, who were physically healthy

Summary

Introduction

The most recent European prevalence data reported that about 58 percent of the population over 18 years is affected by overweight, with a range between 45 (Tajikistan) and 67 percent (Turkey) [7]. This percentage is confirmed in Italy, where 58 percent of the population over 18 years report high body fat levels. Many biological (e.g., genetics, prenatal and perinatal aspects, neuroendocrine and physical conditions, autonomic and neurological characteristics), environmental (e.g., socioeconomic status, cultural and social biases, food availability) and behavioral (eating pattern, sedentary lifestyles, caloric intake, daily activities) factors concur to determine obesity [10], from childhood [11]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion