Laboratory test assessing EFs performance can measure both cold and hot EFs. It is also revealed in the context of appetite self-regulation. The hot context is triggered during strategy games involving reward perspective (such as snacks, toys, or gifts) and when there is a need to delay the gratification of a tempting reward. There is considerable neural and behavioral evidence that the concept of EF skills may be placed on a continuum, from emotionally and motivationally significant context (hot EFs) to emotionally neutral context (cool EFs). The hot EFs are skills referring to goal-oriented modulation of approach/avoidance evaluation. The core EFs classified as cold are working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. Cold EFs are associated with processes involving logic and critical analyses without an affective component, whereas hot EFs involve the regulation of affect and motivation. Thus, the literature distinguishes between cold and hot executive functions. It has been noted that some cognitive processes related to EFs may be driven by conscious and unconscious representations of the motivational and affective stimulus. In other words, EF skills are neurocognitive processes involving the conscious control of thought, emotion and action. Executive functions are a term for higher-level cognitive processes that allow for goal-oriented behaviors. The relationship between the ability to delay gratification, affective decision-making, and adiposity is not pronounced in typically developed children.ĭeficits in executive functions (EFs) are considered to be one of the factors that can affect the development of overweight and obesity. Most of the results on affective decision-making and z scores for BMI, FMI and LBMI were insignificant as well. The association of the z scores of BMI and FMI, overweight/obesity, and the ability to delay gratification was found insignificant after controlling cofounding factors. The relationships between hot EFs and BMI, fat mass index (FMI), lean body mass index (LBMI) were tested. The indicators of decision-making in the HDT were net score and learning rate. The Hungry Donkey test (HDT) was applied to assess affective decision-making. The delay of gratification task (DGT) was applied to assess the ability to delay gratification. The sample consisted of 553 Polish children aged between 6–12 y. The aim of the study was to assess the association of the ability to delay gratification and affective decision-making with the body mass index (BMI) and body composition in children with typical neurocognitive development.
Deficits of ‘hot’ executive functions (EFs) involving emotional and motivational processes are considered as a risk factor for excessive weight, but few studies have tested the relationship between hot EFs and body composition in children.