Fat and lean tissue accretion in relation to reward motivation in children

Abstract

Abstract'Reward sensitivity' explains inter-individual differences in the motivation to obtain rewards when reward cues are perceived. This psychobiological trait has been linked to higher consumption of palatable food when exposed to palatable food cues. The current study aims to examine if reward sensitivity explains differences in patterns of fat and lean tissue accretion over time in children. A longitudinal observational study with measurement waves in 2011 (baseline), 2012, 2013, and 2015 was conducted. The sample was a population-based Flemish cohort of children (n=446, 50% boys and 5.5 to 12 years at baseline; 38.8% of the baseline sample also participated in 2015). Baseline reward sensitivity of the children was assessed by parent ratings on the Drive subscale of the Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Approach System scales. Age-and sex-independent Fat and Lean Mass Index z-scores (zFMI and zLMI respectively) were computed for each study wave based on air-displacement plethysmography. In girls, but not boys, reward sensitivity was positively associated with the baseline zFMI and zLMI (95% confidence intervals of unstandardized estimates: 0.01 to 0.11 and 0.01 to 0.10 respectively, P values 0.01 and 0.02 respectively). Further, reward sensitivity explained 14.8% and 11.6% of the change in girls' zFMI and zLMI respectively over four years: the zFMI and zLMI increased and decreased respectively in high reward sensitive girls (95% confidence intervals of unstandardized estimates: 0.01 to 0.11 and -0.12 to -0.01 respectively, P values 0.01 and 0.02 respectively). Hence, girls high in reward sensitivity had significantly higher adiposity gain over four years parallel with lower increase in lean mass than was expected on the basis of their age and height. These results may help to identify appropriate targets for interventions for obesity prevention.

Triangulating Causality Between Childhood Obesity and Neurobehavior: Twin and Longitudinal Evidence

“…Results are in line with previous longitudinal evidence for a causal influence of personality and psychopathology measures on childhood obesity (Anzman-Frasca et al, 2015; Blaine, 2008; Camfferman et al, 2016; Christensen et al, 2019; De Decker et al, 2017; Derks et al, 2019; Korczak et al, 2013) as well as studies suggesting obesity and eating behavior to have a bidirectional relationship (Antoniou et al, 2016; Herle et al, 2021; Reed et al, 2017). Some studies suggested that childhood obesity may also influence psychopathology (Bradley et al, 2008; Hübel et al, 2019; Korczak et al, 2013).…”

“…However, few studies have tested these causal assumptions. Longitudinal evidence suggests causal links from inhibitory control (29), reward responsiveness (30), prosociality (31), depression (32, 33), aggression (34), and psychopathology in general (35) to childhood obesity. BMI has additionally been found to influence internalizing problems (36) and depression (33) suggesting a reciprocal relationship between childhood obesity and depressive symptoms.…”

“…Longitudinal evidence suggests causal links from BMI to internalizing problems (Bradley et al, 2008) and depression (Korczak et al, 2013). Additionally, inhibitory control (Anzman-Frasca et al, 2015), reward responsiveness (De Decker et al, 2017), prosociality (Christensen et al, 2019), depression (Blaine, 2008; Korczak et al, 2013), aggression (Derks et al, 2019), psychopathology in general (Camfferman et al, 2016), emotional eating (Shriver et al, 2019), picky eating (Antoniou et al, 2016), and cortical surface area (Park et al, 2020) were found to longitudinally influence childhood obesity. Therefore, a reciprocal relationship between childhood obesity and depressive symptoms seems plausible.…”

The essential role of theory in minimizing harm from emerging technologies. Lost in committee?. •

“…High reward drive has been shown to longitudinally predict problems with various reinforcing substances ( De Decker et al, 2017; Heinrich et al, 2016; Urošević et al, 2015 ) and individuals with internet gaming disorder are significantly higher in reward drive than healthy controls ( Lee et al, 2017; Rho et al, 2017 ). Reward drive peaks during adolescence, presenting a unique period of risk for a range of problematic approach behaviours ( Ernst et al, 2005; Galvan et al, 2006; Gullo & Dawe, 2008; Steinberg & Chein, 2015 ).…”

Identifying behavioral phenotypes for childhood obesity

“…Youth with a high sensitivity to reward have been shown to have higher intakes of palatable, energy dense foods and sugar-sweetened beverages (De Decker et al, 2016, De Cock et al, 2016a, De Cock et al, 2016b) and a higher BMI (De Decker et al, 2016). A longitudinal study in a cohort of Flemish children furthermore indicated that girls, but not boys, with heightened reward sensitivity showed significantly higher fat mass levels at baseline and higher fat tissue accretion over a 4-year period (De Decker et al, 2017).…”