RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Children with obesity have a higher risk of future health and psychological problems. Executive functions (EFs) play a key role in successful dietetic and exercise planning; therefore, new treatments aimed at improving EFs may optimize outcomes. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluates the impact of EF training on body mass index (BMI), food choice, and cognition in children with obesity. We also examine their real-life executive functioning, emotional state, and quality of life. METHODS: Randomized controlled double-blind trial. Forty-six children with obesity were randomly allocated into an executive functions training or a control task training group and attended 30-45 min of daily training (5/week over 6 weeks), with both groups receiving counseling on diet and wearing an activity/sleep tracker. Participants were evaluated at baseline and after treatment. RESULTS: BMI decreased over time in the whole sample, although there were no differences between groups at post-training in BMI, food choice, and cognition. Both groups showed significant improvements in attention, speed, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control. Additionally, there were some benefits in real-life executive functioning and self-esteem. Over the 6 weeks, participants showed worse food choices in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: EFs training showed a lack of significant effects. The executive function enhancement alone did not explain these changes, as there were no significant differences between the experimental groups. It might be that the control task training could also produce some benefits, and multi-component interventions might be useful for weight loss.
RESUMEN
Background: Individuals with obesity are known to present cognitive deficits, especially in executive functions. Executive functions play an important role in health and success throughout the whole life and have been related to food decision-making and to the ability to maintain energy balance. It is possible to improve executive functions through targeted training. This would involve brain plasticity changes that could be studied through connectivity MRI. The general hypothesis of this study is that executive functions training in children with obesity can improve food choices and produce cognitive and neuroimaging changes (structural and functional connectivity), as well as improve emotional state and quality of life. Methods: Randomized controlled double-blind trial with 12-month follow-up. Thirty children with obesity will be randomly allocated into "executive training" (Cognifit with adaptive difficulty + Cogmed) or "control task" group (Cognifit without adaptive difficulty). Both groups will attend 30-45 min of individual gamified training (Cogmed and/or Cognifit systems) by iPad, five times per week during 6 weeks. Cogmed and Cognifit software are commercially available from Pearson and Cognifit, respectively. Participants will receive an iPad with both apps installed for a 6-week use. Participants will also receive counseling diet information via presentations sent to the iPad and will wear a Fitbit Flex 2 tracker to monitor daily activity and sleep patterns. Main outcomes will be cognitive, emotional, food decision, and quality-of-life measures, as well as neuroimaging measures. Participants are evaluated at baseline (T0), after treatment (T1), and 12 months since baseline (T2). Discussion: Longitudinal study with active control group and 3 time points: baseline, immediately after treatment, and 1 year after baseline. Threefold treatment: executive function training, psychoeducation, and feedback on activity/sleep tracking. We will evaluate the transfer effects of the intervention, including emotional and functional outcomes, as well as the effects on neural plasticity by connectivity MRI. Trial registration: This project has been registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (trial registration number NCT03615274), August 3, 2018.
RESUMEN
Computerised cognitive training (CCT) has been applied to improve cognitive function in pathological conditions and in healthy populations. Studies suggest that CCT produces near-transfer effects to cognitive functions, with less evidence for far-transfer. Newer applications of CTT in adults seem to produce certain far-transfer effects by influencing eating behaviour and weight loss. However, this is more unexplored in children and adolescents. We conducted a systematic review of 16 studies with randomised controlled design to assess the impact of CCT on cognitive functioning and real-life outcomes, including eating behaviour, in children and adolescents with typical development (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42019123889). Results show near-transfer effects to working memory, with inconsistent results regarding far-transfer effects to other cognitive functions and real-life measures. Long-term effects show the same trend. Far-transfer effects occurred after cue-related inhibitory control and attentional training, although effects seem not to last. CCT may be a potential weight-loss treatment option but more research is needed to determine the specific characteristics to enhance treatment outcomes.