Differences in Executive Function and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Among School Children Across Three Thai Growth Reference Categories (Normal Weight, Overweight, and Obesity)

Abstract

Intawachirarat K, Mitranun W, Maphong R, Sriramatr S. Differences in Executive Function and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Among School Children Across Three Thai Growth Reference Categories (Normal Weight, Overweight, and Obesity). JEPonline 2024;27(4):1–18. The global prevalence of obesity in children has increased over time. Higher body mass index (BMI) is negatively correlated with executive function (EF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF). This study examined the differences in EF and BDNF levels among 66 students. A one-way multivariate analysis of variance was conducted to evaluate group differences, followed by descriptive discriminant analysis for post-hoc analysis. This study revealed that there were no significant differences in BDNF levels among school children categorized as normal weight, overweight, or obese. Additionally, children in the normal weight category did not exhibit a better overall EF than their overweight and obese counterparts, except for the EF component related to planning. Future studies should investigate the development of EF and BDNF among school children, and factors like family economic status and parenting practices that may influence these variables.