The Role of Chronic Sugar Consumption as a Moderating Variable on Acute Sugar Consumption and Aspects of Executive Function

This study explores the relationship between acute sugar consumption and its effect on executive function (EF). Specifically, this study examines the effect of both acute and chronic sugar consumption on EF. An epidemiological survey was given on an online work distribution platform, where participants finished cognitive tasks of EF after completing questionnaires assessing sugar consumption both in the last year and last 24 hours (n = 273). It was hypothesized that acute and chronic sugar intake would significantly predict scores on measures of aspects of EF. Additionally, it was hypothesized that chronic sugar intake would significantly moderate the relationship between acute sugar intake and EF. Neither acute nor chronic sugar consumption predicted EF. This effect was not changed by including chronic sugar consumption as a moderating variable upon acute sugar consumption and EF. This research provides greater evidence about what effect sugar consumption has on EF. 3 Sugar and Executive Function History of Sugar Consumption as a Moderating Variable on Sugar and Aspects of Executive Function To investigate the role that acute sugar consumption plays in measures of executive function this research executed an epidemiological survey. It was a study of the population at large, with the hope of establishing the effect of lifetime sugar consumption on measures of aspects of executive function (EF) (Akintola et al., 2014). This goal of this study is to provide preliminary results that a significant relationship does exist between acute sugar consumption, chronic sugar consumption, and scores on measures of EF. Specifically, that increased chronic sugar consumption will lead to decreased scores of EF, while higher acute sugar consumption leads to higher scores on measures of EF. The role of EF has been chosen, as will be shown, to highlight one area that it is suspected to be influenced by chronic and acute sugar consumption. The results of this study aimed to bring greater understanding of the interaction of acute and chronic sugar consumptions effect on EF. Narrowing in on EF will provide concrete examples in the ways that sugar can have a detrimental effect on cognition, and open the door for further investigation on cognitive effects in general.