Predicting College Students' Food Intake Quality with Dimensions of Executive Functioning

More research is needed that investigates the mental processes associated with promoting and preventing healthy food intake. Correspondingly, this study investigates how, and to what extent, core dimensions of executive functioning (EF) predict college students' food intake quality based on six food groups, namely, fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, protein, and fats/sweets. Ninety‐eight participants were administered a dietary quality survey based on food group servings consumed daily and an EF self‐report measure. Results indicated that global EF skills successfully predicted food intake quality scores. Moreover, EF meta‐cognitive skills, or an individual's ability to hold information in mind, plan, and organize, was a better predictor of food intake quality when compared with EF behavior regulation, or the ability to inhibit, shift attention, and control emotion.
Source: Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Original Article Source Type: research