Kelly Nichole R, Kosty Derek, Bodovski Yosef, Blackwell Courtney K, Ganiban Jody M, Neiderhiser Jenae M, Dabelea Dana, Gilbert-Diamond Diane, Aschner Judy L, Bastain Theresa M, Breton Carrie V, Bush Nicole R, Calub Catrina A, Camargo Carlos A, Camerota Marie, Croen Lisa A, Elliott Amy J, Enlow Michelle Bosquet, Ferrara Assiamira, Hartert Tina, Joseph Robert M, Karagas Margaret R, Kelly Rachel S, Lyall Kristen, Magee Kelsey E, McEvoy Cindy T, Merced-Nieves Francheska M, O'Connor Thomas G, Santarossa Sara, Schantz Susan L, Schmidt Rebecca J, Stanford Joseph B, Straughen Jennifer K, Stroustrup Annemarie, Talge Nicole M, Wright Rosalind J, Zhao Qi, Leve Leslie D
Department of Counseling Psychology and Human Services, Prevention Science Institute, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA.
Prevention Science Institute, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA.
J Behav Med. 2025 Apr;48(2):230-250. doi: 10.1007/s10865-024-00543-w. Epub 2025 Jan 9.
Executive functioning (EF) has been linked to chronic disease risk in children. Health behaviors are thought to partially explain this association. The current cross-sectional study evaluated specific domains of EF and varied health behaviors in three pediatric life stages. Pediatric participants (early childhood n = 2074, M = 6.4 ± 0.9 y; middle childhood n = 3230, M = 9.6 ± 1.2 y; adolescence n = 1416, M = 15.2 ± 1.7 y) were part of the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program. They completed neurocognitive tasks measuring cognitive flexibility, behavioral inhibition, and working memory. Parent- and/or child-report measures of dietary intake, physical activity, sleep duration and quality, income, and positive parenting were also collected. Neighborhood crime and greenspace were calculated from publicly available census-tract level indices. After adjusting for study site, child body mass index, and demographics, working memory was related in the hypothesized direction to several dietary behaviors within all pediatric life stages. Working memory and cognitive flexibility were positively related to physical activity in middle childhood and adolescence. In adolescence, behavioral inhibition was positively related to physical activity and inversely related to sugar-sweetened beverage and total caloric intake. Associations with sleep were all non-significant. All significant associations reflected small effect sizes. Income, positive parenting, greenspace, and crime did not significantly influence any of the EF-health behavior associations. Findings highlight the need to consider EF domains, specific health behaviors, and developmental stage in creating intervention strategies that target EF to improve health behaviors. The small effect sizes reinforce the need for multi-tiered interventions to maximize health.
执行功能（EF）与儿童患慢性病的风险有关。健康行为被认为是这种关联的部分解释因素。当前的横断面研究评估了三个儿童生命阶段中执行功能的特定领域以及各种健康行为。参与研究的儿童（幼儿期n = 2074，平均年龄M = 6.4 ± 0.9岁；童年中期n = 3230，平均年龄M = 9.6 ± 1.2岁；青春期n = 1416，平均年龄M = 15.2 ± 1.7岁）是儿童健康结果环境影响（ECHO）项目的一部分。他们完成了测量认知灵活性、行为抑制和工作记忆的神经认知任务。还收集了家长和/或儿童报告的饮食摄入、身体活动、睡眠时间和质量、收入以及积极育儿方面的测量数据。邻里犯罪率和绿地面积是根据公开的人口普查区层面指数计算得出的。在对研究地点、儿童体重指数和人口统计学因素进行调整后，工作记忆在所有儿童生命阶段都与几种饮食行为呈假设的相关方向。在童年中期和青春期，工作记忆和认知灵活性与身体活动呈正相关。在青春期，行为抑制与身体活动呈正相关，与含糖饮料和总热量摄入呈负相关。与睡眠的关联均无统计学意义。所有显著关联的效应量都较小。收入、积极育儿、绿地面积和犯罪率并未显著影响任何执行功能与健康行为之间的关联。研究结果强调，在制定针对执行功能以改善健康行为的干预策略时，需要考虑执行功能领域、特定健康行为和发育阶段。较小的效应量凸显了需要采取多层次干预措施以最大限度地促进健康。
