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Obesity and dissociable forms of impulsivity in young adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 February 2015

Samuel R. Chamberlain ,
Katherine L. Derbyshire ,
Eric Leppink  and
Jon E. Grant
Samuel R. Chamberlain
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry & MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neurosciences Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT), Cambridge, UK
Katherine L. Derbyshire
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Eric Leppink
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Jon E. Grant*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
*
*Address correspondence to Jon E. Grant, JD, MD, MPH, Professor, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC 3077, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. (Email: jongrant@uchicago.edu)
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Abstract

Objective

Obesity is one of the leading causes of preventable morbidity and mortality, and young people are increasingly affected. The aim of this study was to examine relationships between obesity and dissociable forms of impulsivity in young adults.

Methods

A group of young adults (511) was recruited from city areas in the United States using media advertisements. These young adults were administered careful and extensive clinical and neurocognitive assessment in order to quantify different aspects of impulsivity (behavioral/phenomenological-, cognitive-, and personality-related measures). Associations between obesity and impulsivity were explored using multivariate analysis of variance and discriminant function analysis.

Results

10.8% of the sample was obese, and 21.5% was overweight. Compared to controls, subjects with obesity showed significantly elevated rates of maladaptive gambling behaviors, monetary amounts lost to gambling, nicotine consumption, impulsive action (prolonged stop-signal reaction times in the Stop-Signal Test), and impulsive decision-making (reduced modulation of behavior as a function of risk in the Cambridge Gamble Test). Even accounting for potential confounding variables, obesity was significantly predicted by female gender, older age, more maladaptive gambling behaviors, and worse inhibitory control (stop-signal reaction times).

Conclusion

Obesity is associated with several dissociable forms of impulsivity in young people, especially gambling and impulse dyscontrol. Family doctors should screen for gambling problems in obese young adults. Successful treatment of nicotine dependence in young obese people is likely to require intensive weight management support. Neuropsychological deficits relating to impulsivity occur in obese people in early adulthood, and may represent vulnerability markers rather than being due to chronic untoward metabolic effects on brain function.

Keywords

Addictioncognitioncompulsivityimpulsivityobesityoverweight
Type
Original Research
Information
CNS Spectrums , Volume 20 , Issue 5 , October 2015 , pp. 500 - 507
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2015 

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Footnotes

This research was supported by a Center for Excellence in Gambling Research grant to Dr. Grant from the National Center for Responsible Gaming (USA) and by the Academy of Medical Sciences (UK; grant to Dr. Chamberlain).

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