title: Early executive control and risk for overweight and obesity in elementary school.
abstract: An emerging literature suggests that poor executive control (EC) may be associated with clinical weight problems, e.g., body mass index (BMI) for age percentile ≥85 in children. However, our understanding of the impact of EC on overweight and obesity in childhood is limited by the lack of longitudinal studies spanning critical developmental periods and assessing EC using comprehensive performance-based batteries. The current study addresses these limitations in a longitudinal examination of 212 children who completed an extensive laboratory-based EC task battery in preschool (age 4 years and 6 months) and were followed through elementary school (Grades 1 through 4) with objective measures of weight status. The logistic regression results indicate that poorer EC in preschool is associated with significantly greater risk for clinical weight problems (either overweight or obese status, as defined by BMI-for-age percentile ≥ 85) in elementary school, controlling for maternal education. EC in preschool was not significantly associated with risk for obese status, specifically (defined by BMI-for-age percentile ≥ 95), but the trend was in the expected direction. The results suggest that early executive abilities are relevant for children's subsequent health status, with deficits in EC in the critical period of preschool conferring risk for later problems with weight. Based on these findings, early interventions to promote stronger EC may be a promising, yet currently overlooked, component in pediatric obesity prevention efforts.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Lincoln , NE , US.
authors.forename: Timothy D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Lincoln , NE , US.|b Office of Research , University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Lincoln , NE , US.
authors.forename: Tiffany D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: James
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Lincoln , NE , US.
authors.forename: Maren
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hankey
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Lincoln , NE , US.|b Office of Research , University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Lincoln , NE , US.
authors.forename: Jennifer Mize
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Lincoln , NE , US.
authors.forename: Alyssa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lundahl
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Nebraska-Lincoln , Lincoln , NE , US.|c Department of Psychology , University of Arizona , Tucson , AZ , USA.
authors.forename: Kimberly Andrews
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Espy
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000209:etiology*; D012574:Schools
keywords: Elementary school; Executive control; Pediatric obesity; Pediatric overweight; Preschool