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Published on: June 5, 2016
Preschool Executive Control, Temperament, and Adolescent Dietary Behaviors
Katherine M Kidwell1, Tiffany D James2, Rebecca L Brock3
1Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
Insights
Early childhood temperament and executive control (EC) influence adolescent eating habits. Children with high negative affectivity and low EC are particularly prone to unhealthy food choices, including sugar and convenience foods.
Area of Science:
- Developmental psychology
- Nutritional science
- Behavioral science
Background:
- Child temperament, particularly high emotionality or pleasure seeking, is linked to unhealthy eating patterns.
- Strong executive control (EC) in children may offer protection against poor dietary habits.
- The interplay between early temperament, EC, and long-term eating behaviors remains under-examined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between preschool temperament and executive control (EC).
- To examine the interaction of temperament and EC with adolescent eating patterns.
- To understand how early behavioral traits predict later dietary choices.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 313 preschoolers, with behavioral EC measurement at age 5.25.
- Temperament assessed multiple times during the preschool years.
- Adolescent eating outcomes evaluated at a mean age of 15.34 years.
Main Results:
- Weaker EC correlated with increased consumption of less healthful foods, high-sugar items, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs).
- Negative affectivity temperament was associated with higher intake of unhealthy foods, high-sugar foods, and SSBs.
- An interaction revealed that children with high negative affectivity and weaker EC were especially likely to consume unhealthy foods, high-sugar foods, and SSBs.
Conclusions:
- Preschool temperament and executive control significantly predict adolescent eating behaviors.
- Sufficient executive control may be crucial for mitigating unhealthy eating driven by negative affectivity.
- Early identification of temperament-executive control interactions can inform interventions for healthier eating.
Background:
Child temperament styles characterized by increased emotionality or pleasure seeking may increase risk for less healthful eating patterns, while strong executive control (EC) may be protective. The interaction of these characteristics with longitudinal outcomes has not yet been examined.
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to examine the association of preschool temperament and EC, as well as their interaction with adolescent eating.
Methods:
Preschoolers (N = 313) were recruited into a longitudinal study, with behavioral measurement of EC at age 5.25 years, temperament assessed multiple times across preschool, and eating outcomes assessed in adolescence (mean age = 15.34 years).
Results:
Separate latent moderated structural equation models demonstrated that weaker EC was associated with eating less healthful foods, including high sugar foods, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), and convenience foods (p < .05). In the moderation models, negative affectivity temperament was correlated with eating less healthful foods, high sugar foods, and SSBs (p < .05). Children lower in surgency/extraversion temperament were more likely to drink SSBs. There was an interaction between temperament and EC, such that children high in negative affectivity with weaker EC were particularly more likely to consume less healthful foods, high sugar foods, and SSBs (p < .05). There was no interaction of surgency with EC and food consumption.
Conclusions:
Child characteristics measured early in development were associated with later adolescent eating behaviors. Adequate EC could be necessary to counteract the drive toward eating associated with temperaments high in negative affectivity.
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