Effect of protein vs. carbohydrate intake on inhibitory control in overweight preteens

Authors: ALATORRE-CRUZ, GRACIELA - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); GU, YUYAN - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); DOWNS, HEATHER - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); HAGOOD, DARCY - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); WILLIAMS, KEITH - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); LARSON-PRIOR, LINDA - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/9/2022
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Preteens with overweight or obesity show problems in inhibitory control observed in behavioral and electrophysiological response as well as brain volumetrics. Diet also seems to affect brain activation, and this depends on the type of macronutrients consumed. We hypothesized that the consumption of certain macronutrients may improve inhibitory control process in overweight preteens. To test this hypothesis, fifty-one preteens were provided with one of two equal-calorie shakes (high-carbohydrates (hC) or high-protein (hP)) ninety minutes before collecting event-related potentials (ERPs) during a stop-signal task. Twenty-four of our sample drank hC shake (mean body mass index, BMI =23.2 ±4.9; 10.2 years old), and 27 drank hP shake (mean BMI = 23.5 ±4.7; 10.1 years old). Although no significant differences between groups were observed in behavioral responses, the hC and hP groups differed in the amplitude of N200 and P300a components regardless of experimental condition. The hP group displayed greater negativity than the hC in the left frontal, frontal medial, and right frontal regions of interest (ROIs), reflecting differences between groups in conflict-monitoring. The hC group displayed a greater positivity of P300a than the other group, suggesting differences in attention-inhibition process between groups. The amplitude of N200 and P300a positively correlated with better behavioral performance in the inhibition condition. We conclude that carbohydrates and protein macronutrients have a specific effect on inhibitory control in preteens with overweight. Although both improve participants' behavioral performance, the high protein shake seems to increase their ability to detect the inhibition condition, while the high carbohydrate shake seems to support participants' inhibition processing.