Dietary intake of micro- and macronutrients is associated with deficits in executive functioning in young women with...

Deficits in cognitive functions dependent on the prefrontal cortex related to the dietary intake of nutrients and adiposity in young individuals are not well known. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of high adiposity on executive functioning and their relationship with dietary intake of macro- and micronutrients in young women.

Ninety-five young women were categorized based on body fat percentage. The study included 42 women with normal adiposity and 53 women with high adiposity. Executive functions, sustained attention, selective attention, category formation, cognitive flexibility, and verbal fluency test scores were obtained to assess executive functioning. Dietary intake of macro- and micronutrients was measured using three 24-h recalls, and correlated with the test scores.

The high-adiposity group was characterized by deficits in executive function, category formation and cognitive flexibility, poor sustained and selective attention, and less verbal fluency. Executive functions were negatively correlated with saturated fat and positively correlated with cholesterol and carbohydrates. Category formation was negatively correlated with saturated fat and vitamin E. Sustained attention was positively correlated with lipids, carbohydrates, and cholesterol. Long reaction times in the selective attention test were positively correlated with unsaturated fat and negatively correlated with vitamin C. Cognitive flexibility test scores were negatively correlated with vitamin E. Cholesterol, vitamin C, and vitamin E were predictors of executive functioning in the high-adiposity group.

These findings suggest that impairments in executive functioning may predispose young women to overconsumption of unhealthy nutrients that consequently induces obesity.