Children at high familial risk for obesity show executive functioning deficits prior to development of excess weight status
Authors' conclusion
These findings provide initial evidence that deficits in executive functioning may precede the development of obesity in children at high familial risk for this disease. Additional family risk studies are needed to elucidate the pathways through which maternal obesity influences child executive functioning and risk for obesity.
Study context
- Population
- Children aged 7–8 years without obesity, 52% male
- Participants
- 93 children
- Exposure
- High vs low familial risk for obesity
- Outcome
- Executive functioning: inhibitory control (go/no-go and stop-signal tasks) and working memory (N-back task)
Methodological detailsfamily risk design, Adiposity measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry; linear and mixed-effect models and relative importance analysis
- Family risk design
- Adiposity measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry; linear and mixed-effect models and relative importance analysis
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Executive functioning
Relative effect of familial risk on executive functioning vs that of percent body fat
2.7 to 16 times greater
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Children at high familial risk for obesity show executive functioning deficits prior to development of excess weight status. Obesity (Silver Spring). Published 4 October 2023. doi:10.
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