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Laifer LM, Tomaso CC, Chang OD, Phillips EM, James TD, Nelson JM, Espy KA, Alex Mason W, Nelson TD. Early executive control buffers risk for adolescent psychopathology during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Adolesc 2023; 95:1205-1219. [PMID: 37211897 PMCID: PMC10526894 DOI: 10.1002/jad.12195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a global impact on youth mental health, and there is a critical need for research examining individual factors that contribute to increased psychopathology during the pandemic. The current study explored whether executive control (EC) abilities in early childhood interact with COVID-related stress to attenuate risk for adolescent psychopathology during the first 6 months of the pandemic. METHODS Participants were 337 youth (49% female) living in a small midwestern city in the United States. Participants completed EC tasks when they were approximately 4.5 years old as part of a longitudinal study investigating cognitive development. At annual laboratory visits during adolescence and before the pandemic, participants (Mage = 14.57) reported on mental health symptoms. In July and August of 2020, participants (Mage = 16.57) reported on COVID-related stress and depression, anxiety, and trauma symptoms. RESULTS COVID-related stress was associated with increased internalizing problems after controlling for prepandemic symptom levels. Further, the impact of COVID-related stress on adolescent internalizing problems was moderated by preschool EC, with higher levels of EC buffering the effects of COVID-related stress on adolescent internalizing problems. CONCLUSIONS Findings highlight the importance of promoting EC early in development, as well as screening for EC deficits and implementing targeted intervention strategies across the lifespan to help reduce the impact of stress on adolescent internalizing problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Laifer
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Cara C Tomaso
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Olivia D Chang
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Eric M Phillips
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Tiffany D James
- Office of Research and Economic Development, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Jennifer Mize Nelson
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
- Office of Research and Economic Development, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Kimberly Andrews Espy
- Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Long School of Medicine, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - W Alex Mason
- Department of Child, Youth, & Family Studies, Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Timothy D Nelson
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
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Kong KL, Anzman-Frasca S, Burgess B, Serwatka C, White HI, Holmbeck K. Systematic Review of General Parenting Intervention Impacts on Child Weight as a Secondary Outcome. Child Obes 2023; 19:293-308. [PMID: 35925814 PMCID: PMC10316528 DOI: 10.1089/chi.2022.0056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
General parenting interventions have improved parent-child relationships and child behavior, with emerging evidence that they may also reduce prevalence of pediatric overweight/obesity. We conducted a systematic review on interventions that were designed to promote positive parenting and examined child weight post-hoc. We searched for studies published through January 2022 that promoted positive parenting among parents of children ages 0-18 years and reported effects on body weight as an ancillary outcome, with no intervention content focused on energy balance (e.g., feeding, physical activity). This search was carried out within ClinicalTrials.gov, ISRCTN Registry, PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Connected Papers. Studies were imported into EndNote X9 and assessed independently by two investigators. In total, 753 clinical trials and 723 publications were assessed, and six publications met inclusion criteria. All cohorts were low-income and interventions targeted expectant mothers up through parents of adolescents. Follow-ups occurred when participants were between 2 and 25 years. Significant improvements in weight-related outcomes were observed across all studies for the intervention arm as a whole or for certain subgroups, and reasons underlying these gains tended to differ by participants' age. The magnitude of effect sizes ranged from medium to large. Interventions focused on general positive parenting are efficacious at lowering risk of overweight/obesity without focusing on physical health. Promoting attachments among infants, restructuring a toddler's home environment, praising preschoolers, and communicating with adolescents may optimize weight outcomes in parenting interventions adapted for obesity prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Ling Kong
- Baby Health Behavior Lab, Division of Health Services and Outcomes Research, Children's Mercy Research Institute, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA
- Center for Children's Healthy Lifestyles and Nutrition, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Stephanie Anzman-Frasca
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Center for Ingestive Behavior Research, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Brenda Burgess
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Catherine Serwatka
- Baby Health Behavior Lab, Division of Health Services and Outcomes Research, Children's Mercy Research Institute, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Hope I. White
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Katherine Holmbeck
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, USA
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Nelson TD, Stice E. Contextualizing the Neural Vulnerabilities Model of Obesity. Nutrients 2023; 15:2988. [PMID: 37447312 DOI: 10.3390/nu15132988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, investigators have focused on neural vulnerability factors that increase the risk of unhealthy weight gain, which has provided a useful organizing structure for obesity neuroscience research. However, this framework, and much of the research it has informed, has given limited attention to contextual factors that may interact with key vulnerabilities to impact eating behaviors and weight gain. To fill this gap, we propose a Contextualized Neural Vulnerabilities Model of Obesity, extending the existing theory to more intentionally incorporate contextual factors that are hypothesized to interact with neural vulnerabilities in shaping eating behaviors and weight trajectories. We begin by providing an overview of the Neural Vulnerabilities Model of Obesity, and briefly review supporting evidence. Next, we suggest opportunities to add contextual considerations to the model, including incorporating environmental and developmental context, emphasizing how contextual factors may interact with neural vulnerabilities to impact eating and weight. We then synthesize earlier models and new extensions to describe a Contextualized Neural Vulnerabilities Model of Obesity with three interacting components-food reward sensitivity, top-down regulation, and environmental factors-all within a developmental framework that highlights adolescence as a key period. Finally, we propose critical research questions arising from the framework, as well as opportunities to inform novel interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy D Nelson
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Eric Stice
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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Association between executive function and excess weight in pre-school children. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0275711. [PMID: 36215258 PMCID: PMC9550082 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The association between executive function and excess weight is becoming increasingly evident. However, the results of previous studies are still inconclusive, and there is a lack of evidence in early childhood. This study aims to examine the association between executive function, in terms of overall and subscales of executive function (e.g., inhibition, working memory, and shifting), and weight excess in preschoolers. A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted on children aged 2–5 years of age from public and private schools in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Participants’ weights and heights were measured and classified into three weight status groups (i.e., children with normal weight, overweight, and obesity groups). Executive function was assessed using the parent-report Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool (BRIEF-P). Multivariable polynomial regression was performed to analyze the association between executive function and weight status. A total of 1,181 children were included in the study. After adjusting for confounders, impaired overall executive function significantly increased the probability of being overweight (odds ratio [OR] = 2.47; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.33 to 4.56). A similar trend of association was also found between impaired inhibition and overweight status (OR = 2.33; 95%CI 1.11 to 4.90). Furthermore, poor working memory was associated with both overweight and obesity (OR = 1.87; 95%CI 1.09 to 3.20 and OR = 1.74; 95%CI 1.09 to 2.78, respectively). Our data suggest that deficits in executive function, particularly inhibition and working memory, are associated with weight excess in preschoolers. Early promotion of executive function may be needed at this developmental age to prevent unhealthy weight status.
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Likhitweerawong N, Louthrenoo O, Boonchooduang N, Tangwijitsakul H, Srisurapanont M. Bidirectional prediction between weight status and executive function in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Obes Rev 2022; 23:e13458. [PMID: 35508917 DOI: 10.1111/obr.13458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the predictability of child weight status on executive function (EF) and vice versa. We searched PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, and EMBASE for longitudinal studies conducted in children and adolescents on October 31, 2021. A pairwise meta-analysis was performed using a frequentist random-effects approach. The quality of all included studies was evaluated using Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and GRADE assessments. This study included 18 longitudinal studies (N = 30,101). Overall executive functioning was a significant negative predictor of child weight status (pooled beta coefficient = -0.14; 95% confidence interval [CI] [-0.22 to -0.07]; I2 = 97%). The pooled odds ratio also revealed that high EF children had a significant lower risk for developing overweight/obesity (odds ratio [OR] = 0.72; 95% CI [0.59 to 0.87]; I2 = 72%). Conversely, child weight status was a significant negative predictor of overall executive functioning (pooled beta coefficient = -0.06; 95% CI [-0.12 to -0.01]; I2 = 81%). These results suggest a bidirectional prediction between child weight status and EF. These predictabilities are low but potentially beneficial for implementation in childcare systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narueporn Likhitweerawong
- Division of Growth and Development, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Orawan Louthrenoo
- Division of Growth and Development, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Nonglak Boonchooduang
- Division of Growth and Development, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Hathaipohn Tangwijitsakul
- Division of Growth and Development, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Manit Srisurapanont
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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Tomaso CC, James T, Nelson JM, Espy KA, Nelson TD. Longitudinal associations between executive control and body mass index across childhood. Pediatr Obes 2022; 17:e12866. [PMID: 34725959 PMCID: PMC8923908 DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.12866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood obesity remains a prevalent public health concern. Executive control, a set of higher-order cognitive abilities for directing attention and behaviour, has been identified as a malleable factor potentially related to weight outcomes in youth. However, the directionality of this relationship remains unclear. OBJECTIVES This study examined reciprocal associations between three executive control components-inhibitory control, working memory and flexible shifting-and BMI (body mass index) percentile during childhood. METHODS At four points throughout elementary school, a community sample (N = 294) completed executive control tasks and had their height and weight objectively measured. Controlling for sex and socioeconomic risk status, random intercept cross-lagged panel models were tested. RESULTS Better inhibitory control performance predicted lower subsequent BMI at each timepoint, and better working memory and flexible shifting performance in grade three both predicted lower subsequent BMI in grade 4. However, BMI did not predict subsequent executive control performance at any timepoint. CONCLUSIONS Executive control abilities, including automatic response modulation, being able to hold and manipulate mental information, and being able to make flexible mental transitions, may be protective against weight problems, particularly in middle childhood when these abilities have had more time to mature and children begin to gain more independence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara C. Tomaso
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Tiffany James
- Office of Research and Economic Development, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Jennifer M. Nelson
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA,Office of Research and Economic Development, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Kimberly A. Espy
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Long School of Medicine, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Timothy D. Nelson
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
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Self-regulatory processes in early childhood as predictors of Hispanic children's BMI z-scores during the elementary school years: Differences by acculturation and gender. Appetite 2021; 168:105778. [PMID: 34715245 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2021.105778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Over the last decade, longitudinal research has shown that children's general, top-down self-regulation during early childhood is negatively associated with children's weight status in elementary school. The samples in these previous studies have been primarily White, and no study to date has examined this issue in a sample of Hispanic children from low-income families-a population at high risk for childhood obesity. The present study followed 130 Hispanic children over a time period of three to just under five years, examining the degree to which multiple measures of general, top-down self-regulation, along with a measure of appetite regulation (eating in the absence of hunger), predicted children's BMI z-scores in the early elementary school years. Results showed that children's ability to delay gratification in the preschool years was negatively associated with later BMI z-scores and that children's eating in the absence of hunger was positively associated. In separate models by gender, these relationships were significant only for girls. Moreover, analyses run separately for children of mothers low or high on acculturation showed that the relationship between delay of gratification and later BMI z-scores was significant only for children whose mothers were low on acculturation. Possible socialization and environmental factors contributing to these findings are considered.
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Nelson TD, Johnson AB, Ramsdell EL, Brock RL. Individual differences in the effects of child sleep problems on early executive functioning. ADVANCES IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND BEHAVIOR 2021; 60:179-195. [PMID: 33641793 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acdb.2020.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Sleep is a critical health behavior with important implications for child development. This chapter discusses the effects of sleep problems on early child executive functioning (EF), with an emphasis on individual differences that might moderate this relationship. Specifically, we (1) provide a brief background on sleep and EF in early childhood; (2) review literature on the association between sleep and EF; (3) review literature on individual differences in the effects of sleep problems on EF; (4) offer recommendations for future research on moderators of the sleep-EF association, and (5) briefly describe an ongoing study examining the moderators of the sleep-EF association within a longitudinal study from pregnancy to preschool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy D Nelson
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States.
| | - Anna B Johnson
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
| | - Erin L Ramsdell
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
| | - Rebecca L Brock
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
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Beck DM, Eales L, Carlson SM. Hot and cool executive function and body mass index in young children. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2020.100883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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10
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Russell CG, Russell A. "Food" and "non-food" self-regulation in childhood: a review and reciprocal analysis. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2020; 17:33. [PMID: 32151265 PMCID: PMC7063723 DOI: 10.1186/s12966-020-00928-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In developmental science, there is an extensive literature on non-food related self-regulation in childhood, where several domains relating to emotions, actions and cognitions have been identified. There is now growing attention to food related self-regulation in childhood, especially difficulties with ASR, and the consequences for weight gain and adiposity. The aim of this narrative review was to conduct a reciprocal analysis of self-regulation in the food and non-food domains in childhood (referred to as appetite self-regulation (ASR) and general self-regulation (GSR) respectively). The focus was on commonalities and differences in key concepts and underpinning processes. METHODS Databases and major journals were searched using terms such as self-regulation, appetite self-regulation, or self-regulation of energy intake, together with associated constructs (e.g., Executive Function, Effortful Control, delay-of-gratification). This was followed by backward and forward snowballing. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The scholarship on GSR in childhood has had a focus on the role of the cognitively-oriented Executive Function (EF), the temperamentally-based Effortful Control (EC) and the recursive interplay between bottom-up (reactive, emotion driven, approach or avoidance) and top-down (cognitive, conscious decision-making) processes. "Hot" and "cool/cold" EF and self-regulation situations have been distinguished. There were some parallels between GSR and ASR in these areas, but uncertainty about the contribution of EF and EC to ASR in young children. Possible differences between the contribution to ASR-related outcomes of delay-of-gratification in food and non-food tasks were apparent. Unique elements of ASR were identified; associated with psychological, biological and neurological responses to food and bottom-up processes. A diverse number of situations or elements connected to ASR exist: for example, energy balance homeostasis, caloric compensation, hunger regulation, satiation, satiety, energy density of food, eating in the absence of hunger, emotional eating, etc. CONCLUSIONS: Self-regulation in food and non-food domains are amenable to a reciprocal analysis. We argue that self-regulation of appetite should be added as a domain under the umbrella of self-regulation in childhood along with the other non-food related domains. This could lead to a broader understanding of self-regulation in childhood, and generate novel lines of enquiry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine G Russell
- Faculty of Health, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia.
| | - Alan Russell
- College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, Sturt Rd, Bedford Park, South Australia, 5042, Australia
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The association of the executive functions with overweight and obesity indicators in children and adolescents: A literature review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 107:59-68. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 08/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Nelson TD, Mize Nelson J, Alex Mason W, Tomaso CC, Kozikowski CB, Andrews Espy K. Executive Control and Adolescent Health: Toward A Conceptual Framework. ADOLESCENT RESEARCH REVIEW 2019; 4:31-43. [PMID: 30886888 PMCID: PMC6419957 DOI: 10.1007/s40894-018-0094-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Executive control is a set of cognitive abilities that may impact a variety of adolescent health behaviors and outcomes; however, research on executive control as a contributor to the physical health of youth is relatively limited. Therefore, the current article explores the possible role of executive control in adolescent health by reviewing relevant literature and proposing a conceptual framework to guide future research in this area. The development of executive control from preschool through adolescence is described, with particular attention to executive control in the unique health context of adolescence. A new conceptual model is proposed, focusing on how executive control may play a critical role in supporting health in adolescence and beyond through the mechanisms of attentional, behavioral, and emotional control. Literature exploring associations between youth executive control and key health behaviors (including diet, physical activity, sleep and substance use) is reviewed. Researchers and clinicians are encouraged to consider executive control as an important cross-cutting contributor to health during adolescence and beyond and to incorporate this construct into longitudinal studies of health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer Mize Nelson
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Office of Research, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
| | - W Alex Mason
- Boys Town Child and Family Translational Research Center (formerly the National Research Institute)
| | - Cara C Tomaso
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
| | | | - Kimberly Andrews Espy
- University of Texas at San Antonio
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
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Davidson TL, Jones S, Roy M, Stevenson RJ. The Cognitive Control of Eating and Body Weight: It's More Than What You "Think". Front Psychol 2019; 10:62. [PMID: 30814963 PMCID: PMC6381074 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past decade, a great deal of research has established the importance of cognitive processes in the control of energy intake and body weight. The present paper begins by identifying several of these cognitive processes. We then summarize evidence from human and nonhuman animal models, which shows how excess intake of obesity-promoting Western diet (WD) may have deleterious effects on these cognitive control processes. Findings that these effects may be manifested as early-life deficits in cognitive functioning and may also be associated with the emergence of serious late-life cognitive impairment are described. Consistent with these possibilities, we review evidence, obtained primarily from rodent models, that consuming a WD is associated with the emergence of pathophysiologies in the hippocampus, an important brain substrate for learning, memory, and cognition. The implications of this research for mechanism are discussed within the context of a “vicious-cycle model,” which describes how eating a WD could impair hippocampal function, producing cognitive deficits that promote increased WD intake and body weight gain, which could contribute to further hippocampal dysfunction, cognitive decline, and excess eating and weight gain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terry L Davidson
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, American University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Sabrina Jones
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, American University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Megan Roy
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, American University, Washington, DC, United States
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