Associations of Ultra‐Processed Foods and Executive Function in Children With Obesity and Their Parents: A Cross‐Sectional Study
Ingrid Rivera‐Iñiguez, David R. Strong, Kyung E. Rhee, Dawn M. Eichen, Kerri N. BoutelleABSTRACT
Background
Ultra‐processed foods (UPFs) are linked to obesity and cognitive decline, but evidence on their association with executive function (EF) in children is limited.
Objective
To evaluate the UPFs‐EF relationship in parent–child dyads with obesity seeking treatment.
Methods
Secondary analysis of the FRESH trial (NCT01197443) conducted at the University of California, San Diego. A total of 141 Parent–child dyads; parent age = 43 years (6.6), BMI = 32 (6.4); child age = 9.9 years (1.3), BMIz = 2.0 (0.3); 31% Hispanic, 44% White, 25% other completed anthropometric, digit span backward (DSB), stop signal task (SST) and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), and dietary assessments. Linear regression models evaluated UPFs‐EF associations, controlling for covariates.
Results
Parent–child associations were observed for energy β = 0.15, p = 0.024; total UPFs β = 0.20, p = 0.018; savoury snacks β = 0.28, p = 0.018; ultra‐processed (UP) meat, β = 0.60, p < 0.001; and sweetened beverages β = 0.24, p = 0.023. Most UPFs‐EF associations were null. In children, UP meat predicted lower DSB scores ( β = −0.104, 95% CI [−0.197, −0.013], p = 0.013), and in parents, sweetened beverages predicted failed SST ( β = 0.606, 95% CI [0.018, 1.210], p = 0.044).
Conclusions
There were a few associations between UPFs intake and EF; however, most were nonsignificant. Future research should involve community samples and children across the weight spectrum.