Association of Family Nutrition and Physical Activity with Preschooler's Working Memory: A Cross-Sectional Study among Mexican Children

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Liliana Aguayo, Emory University; Maria Pineros-Leano, Boston College; Rifat B. Alam, University of Illinois; Rosalba Aguirre-Pereyra, Government of the State of San Luis Potosi; Andiara Schwingel, University of Illinois; Solveig Argeseanu, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2021-06-01
• Publisher: MDPI
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2021 by the authors.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/children8060506
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: CHILDREN-BASEL
• Volume: 8
• Issue: 6
• Grant/Funding Information: This study was supported by the training grant “Illinois Transdisciplinary Obesity Prevention Program (I-TOPP)” funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), under Award No. 2011-67001-30101.; Dr. Aguayo is currently supported by the NIDDK (R01-115937-03S2).
• Keywords: SUBJECTIVE SOCIAL-STATUS; health behaviors; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE; CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASE; RISK-FACTORS; Pediatrics; WEIGHT; BREAKFAST COMPOSITION; Science & Technology; ACTIVITY SCREENING TOOL; family nutrition; OBESITY; physical activity; Mexican children; SLEEP; working memory; CONSTRUCT-VALIDITY
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Public Health; Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery

Abstract

Healthy eating and active lifestyles are associated with children’s healthy weight and cognitive development. This study examines whether family behaviors relevant for nutrition and activity levels are associated with children’s working memory, independent of their weight status. A convenience sample of child–caregiver dyads (n = 85 dyads) were recruited from a public preschool serving a low-income community in central Mexico. Caregivers reported the frequency of ten family behaviors using the Family Nutrition and Physical Activity screening tool. Children completed a test of their ability to recall four words after a 60-s distraction task, an assessment of working memory. Multiple linear regression models were used to test the association of children’s working memory with each family behavior, adjusting for children’s sex, age, mother’s age and education, and subjective social status and then also adjusting for children’s age-and sex-specific body mass index percentile (BMI-P) and covariates. Higher frequency of breakfast intake was significantly associated with working memory (β = 0.57, p = 0.013). This association was independent of children’s BMI-P. Other family behaviors (frequent family mealtimes, limiting screen time, and others) were not significantly associated with children’s working memory. Frequent breakfast intake could benefit young children’s working memory, regardless of their weight status. This association merits further investigation.