Executive Cognitive Function and Food Intake in Children

Objective: The current study investigated relations among neurocognitive skills important for behavioral regulation, and the intake of fruit, vegetables, and snack food in children. Design: Participants completed surveys at a single time point. Setting: Assessments took place during school. Participants: Participants were 107 fourth-grade children from a large US city. Ninety-one percent were Latino, and 4% were African-American, which represented school ethnic distribution. Main Outcome Measure(s): Independent variable included was self-reported executive cognitive function (ECF). Dependent variables included self-reported fruit, vegetable, and snack food intake. Analyses: Primary analyses general linear regression models covarying for appropriate demographic variables. Results: Analyses demonstrated that ECF proficiency was negatively related to snack food intake, but was not significantly related to fruit and vegetable intake. Conclusions and Implications: Since ECF is correlated with snack food intake, future studies may consider assessing the potential of enhancing ECF in health promotion interventions.