Self-regulation as a correlate of weight status in preschool children

ABSTRACT

The primary aim of this study was to examine associations between executive functioning (EF) and child weight status (categorized from body mass index [BMI] percentiles) in a sample of preschool children. Participants included 80 preschool children (mean age = 4.17 years, female = 52%). Hierarchical regression analyses as well as analysis of covariance were used to test hypotheses. Overall, results indicated that children with higher EF scores (on a composite score of three underlying EF components) had lower BMI percentiles and were more likely to be categorized as normal weight. Follow-up analyses revealed that only one individual EF component, cognitive flexibility, was significantly related to BMI percentile and weight status. Although the study sample was relatively small, findings suggest that this relation needs to be explored more in depth to understand how and why it is related and how that relation may be affected by intervention.

KEYWORDS:

• Self-regulation
• executive functioning
• childhood obesity
• overweight
• body mass index

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Dr. Sara A. Schmitt is an Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Purdue University. Her research focuses on the development and correlates of self-regulation in preschool.

Irem Korucu is a Graduate Student in Human Development and Family Studies at Purdue University. Her research interests are focused on the contextual influences on the development of self-regulation and school readiness skills.

Dr. Blake L. Jones is an Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Purdue University. He studies child obesity, hypertension, and sleep in relation to family mealtime, bedtime, and media routines, as well as parental work schedules.

Dr. Frank J. Snyder is a public health researcher who is currently an Assistant Professor in the School of Health Sciences at Central Michigan University. Dr Snyder's research encompasses health promotion and understanding how social and environmental factors influence youth health behaviours and development.

Carly D. Evich is a graduate student in Human Development and Family Studies at Purdue University. Her primary research interests centre on children's health and well-being in relation to child and family-level factors, such as children's media use, sleep, and parenting practices.

Dr. David J. Purpura is an Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Purdue University. His research focuses on early school readiness development, particularly as it relates to math and reading acquisition.