title: Gender differences in the association between stop-signal reaction times, body mass indices and/or spontaneous food intake in pre-school children: an early model of compromised inhibitory control and obesity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Poor inhibitory control is associated with overeating and/or obesity in school-age children, adolescents and adults. The current study examined whether an objective and reliable marker of response inhibition, the stop-signal reaction time (SSRT), is associated with body mass index (BMI) z-scores and/or food intake during a snack test in pre-school children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The current sample consisted of 193 pre-school children taking part in a longitudinal study of early brain development (Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment (the MAVAN project)). Linear mixed-effect models were used to examine whether the SSRT measured at age 48 months associated with BMI z-scores and/or dietary intake during a laboratory-based snack test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After controlling for significant covariates including maternal BMI, there was a significant gender by SSRT interaction effect in predicting 48-month BMI z-scores. Post-hoc analysis revealed an association between longer SSRTs (poor response inhibition) and higher BMIs in girls but not boys. Across both girls and boys, longer SSRTs were associated with greater intake of carbohydrates and sugars during the snack test. The association between SSRT scores and BMI z-scores in girls was not statistically mediated by carbohydrate or sugar intake.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At 48 months of age, slower response inhibition on the Stop-Signal Task associates with higher BMI z-scores in girls, and with higher intake of carbohydrates and sugars during a snack test across both genders. Ongoing follow-up of these children will help clarify the implications of these associations for longer term macronutrient intake, eating-related pathology and/or pathological weight gain over time.
authors.affiliation: 1] Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada [2] Department of Psychiatry, CAMH, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada [3] Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Levitan
authors.affiliation: 1] Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada [2] Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Estudos da Saúde da Criança e do Adolescente, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, St Joseph's Hospital, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.affiliation: Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quèbec, Canada.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gaudreau
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Department of Paediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.affiliation: 1] Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada [2] Department of Psychiatry, CAMH, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: Department of Management, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dube
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quèbec, Canada.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fellows
authors.affiliation: Institute of Community and Family Psychiatry, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quèbec, Canada.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wazana
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.affiliation: 1] Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quèbec, Canada [2] Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, McGill University, Montreal, Quèbec, Canada.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Meaney
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006963:Hyperphagia / Q000523:psychology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011930:Reaction Time; D062410:Snacks / Q000523:psychology*; D015430:Weight Gain