Effects of weight and gender on a task of inattention

Previous studies have established that obese adolescents possess a stronger tendency to behave more impulsively and be more inattentive than healthy-weight children. Additionally, gender difference in inattention and impulsivity has also been substantiated by previous researchers. The current study examined the relationship between gender, body weight, and inattention and impulsivity in adolescents. It was hypothesized that obese males and females would have more inattentive and impulsive responses than their healthy-weight peers.

Participants were 113 adolescents between the ages of 14 and 19; all participants completed the CPT-II, a measure of inattentive and impulsive response styles.

Findings indicated that males who were classified as overweight or obese scored higher on inattention than did obese females, healthy-weight males, and healthy-weight females. Additionally, females committed a greater number of commission errors and were less able to distinguish the target stimuli, suggestive of impulsive responding.

These findings indicate a gender difference in regard to impulsive responding, and also reveal an interaction of weight status and gender on inattention. Implications for prevention and treatment are discussed.