Executive cognitive function and food intake in children.
OBJECTIVE
The current study investigated relations among neurocognitive skills important for behavioral regulation, and the intake of fruit, vegetables, and snack food in children.


METHODS
Participants completed surveys at a single time point.


METHODS
Assessments took place during school.


METHODS
Participants were 107 fourth-grade children from a large US city. Ninety-one percent were Latino, and 4% were African-American, which represented school ethnic distribution.


METHODS
Independent variable included was self-reported executive cognitive function (ECF). Dependent variables included self-reported fruit, vegetable, and snack food intake.


METHODS
Primary analyses general linear regression models covarying for appropriate demographic variables.


RESULTS
Analyses demonstrated that ECF proficiency was negatively related to snack food intake, but was not significantly related to fruit and vegetable intake.


CONCLUSIONS
Since ECF is correlated with snack food intake, future studies may consider assessing the potential of enhancing ECF in health promotion interventions.
Riggs
Nathaniel R
NR
Institute for Prevention Research, University of Southern California, Alhambra, CA 91803, USA. nriggs@usc.edu
Spruijt-Metz
Donna
D
Sakuma
Kari-Lyn
KL
Chou
Chih-Ping
CP
Pentz
Mary Ann
MA
D001741:Black or African American; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D003071:Cognition; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004435:Eating; D005006:Ethnicity; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables