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10/03/2014
The study, which has been published in the journal Cerebral Cortex, revealed a link between being overweight and the ability of children to solve problems.
For this latest research, a team assessed the reactions and brain activity of 74 boys and girls ages between seven and nine. Half of the children had a high Body Mass Index (BMI) and it was found that, when faced with basic cognitive tasks, overweight youngsters were slower to answer and demonstrated sluggish thought processes.
As part of the study, the participants were shown rows of arrows on a screen before being asked to press a button to identify the direction of the middle one. A second test presented them with a similar, but more difficult, problem.
When assessing the children's response, the experts discovered that the reaction time of the obese children were 8% longer on the first task, and 15% on the second. They were also more likely to provide a wrong answer, and when an incorrect answer was provided, those overweight took additional time to answer the next question.
Explaining the findings, data from brain monitors suggested this was due to an underdeveloped cognitive processing in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which governs rational thought, as well as the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) which allows individuals to learn from mistakes.
The study claims: "The global epidemic of childhood obesity has become a major public health concern. Yet, evidence regarding the association between childhood obesity and cognitive health has remained scarce.
"[In this paper] childhood obesity was associated with a decreased ability to modulate the cognitive control network involving the PFC and ACC in order to optimize behavioral interactions within the environment.
"It has been well established that cognitive control is closely associated with academic achievement. Thus, this study [indicates] the negative association between weight status and academic achievement."
Some 28% of children in Britain are now said to be overweight, with half of them obese.
The authors behind the study added that further research was needed into the area.
The research was carried out by the Universities of Michigan State, Illinois, Georgia and Texas in the US plus Waseda in Japan.
(JP)
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Study Claims Obese Children Are Slower Thinkers
Obese children could be falling behind in their studies because of their weight, according to new research.The study, which has been published in the journal Cerebral Cortex, revealed a link between being overweight and the ability of children to solve problems.
For this latest research, a team assessed the reactions and brain activity of 74 boys and girls ages between seven and nine. Half of the children had a high Body Mass Index (BMI) and it was found that, when faced with basic cognitive tasks, overweight youngsters were slower to answer and demonstrated sluggish thought processes.
As part of the study, the participants were shown rows of arrows on a screen before being asked to press a button to identify the direction of the middle one. A second test presented them with a similar, but more difficult, problem.
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When assessing the children's response, the experts discovered that the reaction time of the obese children were 8% longer on the first task, and 15% on the second. They were also more likely to provide a wrong answer, and when an incorrect answer was provided, those overweight took additional time to answer the next question.
Explaining the findings, data from brain monitors suggested this was due to an underdeveloped cognitive processing in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which governs rational thought, as well as the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) which allows individuals to learn from mistakes.
The study claims: "The global epidemic of childhood obesity has become a major public health concern. Yet, evidence regarding the association between childhood obesity and cognitive health has remained scarce.
"[In this paper] childhood obesity was associated with a decreased ability to modulate the cognitive control network involving the PFC and ACC in order to optimize behavioral interactions within the environment.
"It has been well established that cognitive control is closely associated with academic achievement. Thus, this study [indicates] the negative association between weight status and academic achievement."
Some 28% of children in Britain are now said to be overweight, with half of them obese.
The authors behind the study added that further research was needed into the area.
The research was carried out by the Universities of Michigan State, Illinois, Georgia and Texas in the US plus Waseda in Japan.
(JP)
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