Associations between obesity and cognition in the pre-school years

Anne Martin; Josephine Booth; David Young; Matthew Revie; Anne Boyter; Blair  Johnston; Phillip D. Tomporowski; John J Reilly

doi:10.1002/oby.21329

Associations between obesity and cognition in the pre-school years

Anne Martin, Josephine Booth, David Young, Matthew Revie, Anne Boyter, Blair Johnston, Phillip D. Tomporowski, John J Reilly

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Objective
To test the hypothesis that obesity is associated with impaired cognitive outcomes in the pre-school years.

Methods
Associations were examined between weight status at age 3-5 years and cognitive performance at age 5 years. Cognitive outcome measures were tests of pattern construction (visuospatial skills), naming vocabulary (expressive language skills), and picture similarity (reasoning skills). The sample was the UK Millennium Cohort Study (n = 12,349 participants).

Results
Boys with obesity at 3 years had significantly lower performance in pattern construction at age 5 years compared to those of a healthy weight, even after controlling for confounders (β = −0.029, P = 0.03). Controlling for confounders, boys who developed obesity between the ages of 3 and 5 years had lower scores in pattern construction (β = −0.03, P = 0.03). “Growing out” of obesity had a positive association with picture similarity performance in girls (β = 0.03, P = 0.04).

Conclusions
Obesity in the pre-school years was associated with poorer outcomes for some cognitive measures in this study. Stronger relationships between obesity and cognition or educational attainment may emerge later in childhood.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	207-214
Journal	Obesity
Volume	24
Issue number	1
Early online date	6 Dec 2015
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.21329
Publication status	Published - Jan 2016

Access to Document

10.1002/oby.21329

Martin_Obesityandcognition_Maindocument_revised_clean
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Martin, A., Booth, J., Young, D., Revie, M., Boyter, A., Johnston, B., ... Reilly, J. J. (2016). Associations between obesity and cognition in the pre-school years. Obesity, 24(1). 10.1002/oby.21329, which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oby.21329/abstract. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.
Accepted author manuscript, 779 KB

Josie Booth
- Moray House School of Education and Sport - Senior Lecturer
- Institute for Education, Community & Society
Person: Academic: Research Active

Cite this

@article{0c6110d6e0b74f69b6436968d1e9db6f,

title = "Associations between obesity and cognition in the pre-school years",

abstract = "ObjectiveTo test the hypothesis that obesity is associated with impaired cognitive outcomes in the pre-school years.MethodsAssociations were examined between weight status at age 3-5 years and cognitive performance at age 5 years. Cognitive outcome measures were tests of pattern construction (visuospatial skills), naming vocabulary (expressive language skills), and picture similarity (reasoning skills). The sample was the UK Millennium Cohort Study (n = 12,349 participants).ResultsBoys with obesity at 3 years had significantly lower performance in pattern construction at age 5 years compared to those of a healthy weight, even after controlling for confounders (β = −0.029, P = 0.03). Controlling for confounders, boys who developed obesity between the ages of 3 and 5 years had lower scores in pattern construction (β = −0.03, P = 0.03). “Growing out” of obesity had a positive association with picture similarity performance in girls (β = 0.03, P = 0.04).ConclusionsObesity in the pre-school years was associated with poorer outcomes for some cognitive measures in this study. Stronger relationships between obesity and cognition or educational attainment may emerge later in childhood.",

author = "Anne Martin and Josephine Booth and David Young and Matthew Revie and Anne Boyter and Blair Johnston and Tomporowski, {Phillip D.} and Reilly, {John J}",

year = "2016",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1002/oby.21329",

language = "English",

volume = "24",

pages = "207--214",

journal = "Obesity",

issn = "1930-7381",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Associations between obesity and cognition in the pre-school years

AU - Martin, Anne

AU - Booth, Josephine

AU - Young, David

AU - Revie, Matthew

AU - Boyter, Anne

AU - Johnston, Blair

AU - Tomporowski, Phillip D.

AU - Reilly, John J

PY - 2016/1

Y1 - 2016/1

N2 - ObjectiveTo test the hypothesis that obesity is associated with impaired cognitive outcomes in the pre-school years.MethodsAssociations were examined between weight status at age 3-5 years and cognitive performance at age 5 years. Cognitive outcome measures were tests of pattern construction (visuospatial skills), naming vocabulary (expressive language skills), and picture similarity (reasoning skills). The sample was the UK Millennium Cohort Study (n = 12,349 participants).ResultsBoys with obesity at 3 years had significantly lower performance in pattern construction at age 5 years compared to those of a healthy weight, even after controlling for confounders (β = −0.029, P = 0.03). Controlling for confounders, boys who developed obesity between the ages of 3 and 5 years had lower scores in pattern construction (β = −0.03, P = 0.03). “Growing out” of obesity had a positive association with picture similarity performance in girls (β = 0.03, P = 0.04).ConclusionsObesity in the pre-school years was associated with poorer outcomes for some cognitive measures in this study. Stronger relationships between obesity and cognition or educational attainment may emerge later in childhood.

AB - ObjectiveTo test the hypothesis that obesity is associated with impaired cognitive outcomes in the pre-school years.MethodsAssociations were examined between weight status at age 3-5 years and cognitive performance at age 5 years. Cognitive outcome measures were tests of pattern construction (visuospatial skills), naming vocabulary (expressive language skills), and picture similarity (reasoning skills). The sample was the UK Millennium Cohort Study (n = 12,349 participants).ResultsBoys with obesity at 3 years had significantly lower performance in pattern construction at age 5 years compared to those of a healthy weight, even after controlling for confounders (β = −0.029, P = 0.03). Controlling for confounders, boys who developed obesity between the ages of 3 and 5 years had lower scores in pattern construction (β = −0.03, P = 0.03). “Growing out” of obesity had a positive association with picture similarity performance in girls (β = 0.03, P = 0.04).ConclusionsObesity in the pre-school years was associated with poorer outcomes for some cognitive measures in this study. Stronger relationships between obesity and cognition or educational attainment may emerge later in childhood.

U2 - 10.1002/oby.21329

DO - 10.1002/oby.21329

M3 - Article

SN - 1930-7381

VL - 24

SP - 207

EP - 214

JO - Obesity

JF - Obesity

IS - 1

ER -

Associations between obesity and cognition in the pre-school years

Abstract

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Profiles

Josie Booth

Cite this