Interactions of approach motivation and self-regulation in relation to obesity in children

Motivation and self-regulation are two psychological systems that have been shown to be related to childhood obesity.

This study evaluated independent and interactive associations of approach-oriented motivation (i.e., drive and reward responsiveness) and self-regulation (i.e., self-control and behavioral regulation) in relation to age- and sex-adjusted body mass index-z scores (BMI-z) in children.

Children (55% female; M_age = 12.5 years ± .93) completed questionnaires assessing motivation and self-regulation, and anthropometric measurements were taken by research staff cross-sectionally.

Regressions revealed no independent associations of approach motivation or self-regulation and BMI-z. There were interactions between the drive facet of approach motivation, which assesses motivation to follow goals, and self-regulation in relation to BMI-z. Children with lower motivation to follow goals and lower self-regulation had higher BMI-z, and children with lower motivation to follow goals and higher self-regulation had lower BMI-z. Children with higher motivation to follow goals had similar BMI-z at all levels of self-regulation.

For children with low motivation to follow goals, self-regulation may be an important buffer of high BMI-z.

Level V: cross-sectional descriptive study.