diff --git a/include/matador/sql/column_generator.hpp b/include/matador/sql/column_generator.hpp
index 287b1e2..4b62609 100644
--- a/include/matador/sql/column_generator.hpp
+++ b/include/matador/sql/column_generator.hpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 #include "matador/utils/access.hpp"
 #include "matador/utils/field_attributes.hpp"
+#include "matador/utils/foreign_attributes.hpp"
 
 #include <typeindex>
 #include <vector>
@@ -37,13 +38,13 @@ public:
   void on_attribute(const char * /*id*/, Type &/*x*/, const utils::field_attributes &/*attr*/ = utils::null_attributes) {}
   void on_attribute(const char * /*id*/, char * /*x*/, const utils::field_attributes &/*attr*/ = utils::null_attributes) {}
   template<class Pointer>
-  void on_belongs_to(const char * /*id*/, Pointer &/*x*/, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_belongs_to(const char * /*id*/, Pointer &/*x*/, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
   template<class Pointer>
-  void on_has_one(const char * /*id*/, Pointer &/*x*/, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_has_one(const char * /*id*/, Pointer &/*x*/, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
   template<class ContainerType>
-  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const char *, const char *, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const char *, const char *, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
   template<class ContainerType>
-  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
 
 private:
   data_type_t type_{};
@@ -79,21 +80,21 @@ public:
   void on_attribute(const char *id, std::optional<Type> &x, const utils::field_attributes &attr = utils::null_attributes);
 
   template<class Pointer>
-  void on_belongs_to(const char *id, Pointer &x, utils::cascade_type)
+  void on_belongs_to(const char *id, Pointer &x, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/)
   {
     const auto [ref_table, ref_column] = determine_foreign_ref(std::type_index(typeid(typename Pointer::value_type)));
     columns_.push_back(fk_column_generator_.generate(id, *x, ref_table, ref_column));
   }
   template<class Pointer>
-  void on_has_one(const char *id, Pointer &x, utils::cascade_type)
+  void on_has_one(const char *id, Pointer &x, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/)
   {
     const auto [ref_table, ref_column] = determine_foreign_ref(std::type_index(typeid(typename Pointer::value_type)));
     columns_.push_back(fk_column_generator_.generate(id, *x, ref_table, ref_column));
   }
   template<class ContainerType>
-  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const char *, const char *, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const char *, const char *, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
   template<class ContainerType>
-  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
 
 private:
   std::pair<std::string, std::string> determine_foreign_ref(const std::type_index &ti);
diff --git a/include/matador/sql/column_name_generator.hpp b/include/matador/sql/column_name_generator.hpp
index a36bbcf..54829a1 100644
--- a/include/matador/sql/column_name_generator.hpp
+++ b/include/matador/sql/column_name_generator.hpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 #include "matador/utils/access.hpp"
 #include "matador/utils/field_attributes.hpp"
+#include "matador/utils/foreign_attributes.hpp"
 
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
@@ -42,19 +43,19 @@ public:
   }
 
   template<class Pointer>
-  void on_belongs_to(const char *id, Pointer &, utils::cascade_type)
+  void on_belongs_to(const char *id, Pointer &, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/)
   {
     column_names_.emplace_back(id);
   }
   template<class Pointer>
-  void on_has_one(const char *id, Pointer &, utils::cascade_type)
+  void on_has_one(const char *id, Pointer &, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/)
   {
     column_names_.emplace_back(id);
   }
   template<class ContainerType>
-  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const char *, const char *, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const char *, const char *, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
   template<class ContainerType>
-  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
 
 private:
   std::vector<std::string> &column_names_;
diff --git a/include/matador/sql/fk_value_extractor.hpp b/include/matador/sql/fk_value_extractor.hpp
index 2fee3bf..9184594 100644
--- a/include/matador/sql/fk_value_extractor.hpp
+++ b/include/matador/sql/fk_value_extractor.hpp
@@ -31,13 +31,13 @@ public:
   void on_attribute(const char * /*id*/, Type &/*x*/, const utils::field_attributes &/*attr*/ = utils::null_attributes) {}
   void on_attribute(const char * /*id*/, char * /*x*/, const utils::field_attributes &/*attr*/ = utils::null_attributes) {}
   template<class Pointer>
-  void on_belongs_to(const char * /*id*/, Pointer &/*x*/, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_belongs_to(const char * /*id*/, Pointer &/*x*/, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
   template<class Pointer>
-  void on_has_one(const char * /*id*/, Pointer &/*x*/, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_has_one(const char * /*id*/, Pointer &/*x*/, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
   template<class ContainerType>
-  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const char *, const char *, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const char *, const char *, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
   template<class ContainerType>
-  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
 
 
 private:
diff --git a/include/matador/sql/key_value_generator.hpp b/include/matador/sql/key_value_generator.hpp
index 6d1204b..e67dc16 100644
--- a/include/matador/sql/key_value_generator.hpp
+++ b/include/matador/sql/key_value_generator.hpp
@@ -40,19 +40,19 @@ public:
   }
 
   template<class Type, template < class ... > class Pointer>
-  void on_belongs_to(const char *id, Pointer<Type> &x, utils::cascade_type)
+  void on_belongs_to(const char *id, Pointer<Type> &x, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/)
   {
     result_.emplace_back(id, fk_value_extractor_.extract(*x));
   }
   template<class Type, template < class ... > class Pointer>
-  void on_has_one(const char *id, Pointer<Type> &x, utils::cascade_type)
+  void on_has_one(const char *id, Pointer<Type> &x, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/)
   {
     result_.emplace_back(id, fk_value_extractor_.extract(*x));
   }
   template<class ContainerType>
-  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const char *, const char *, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const char *, const char *, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
   template<class ContainerType>
-  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
 
 private:
   detail::fk_value_extractor fk_value_extractor_;
diff --git a/include/matador/sql/query_result_impl.hpp b/include/matador/sql/query_result_impl.hpp
index 8a1edb7..c448488 100644
--- a/include/matador/sql/query_result_impl.hpp
+++ b/include/matador/sql/query_result_impl.hpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 #include "matador/utils/access.hpp"
 #include "matador/utils/field_attributes.hpp"
+#include "matador/utils/foreign_attributes.hpp"
 
 #include "matador/sql/any_type.hpp"
 #include "matador/sql/query_result_reader.hpp"
@@ -35,14 +36,14 @@ public:
   template < class Type >
   void on_attribute(const char * /*id*/, Type &/*x*/, const utils::field_attributes &/*attr*/ = utils::null_attributes) {}
   template < class Pointer >
-  void on_belongs_to(const char * /*id*/, Pointer &/*x*/, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_belongs_to(const char * /*id*/, Pointer &/*x*/, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
   template < class Pointer >
-  void on_has_one(const char * /*id*/, Pointer &/*x*/, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_has_one(const char * /*id*/, Pointer &/*x*/, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
 
   template<class ContainerType>
-  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const char *, const char *, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const char *, const char *, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
   template<class ContainerType>
-  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
 
 private:
   size_t column_index_{};
@@ -74,7 +75,7 @@ public:
   void on_attribute(const char *id, any_type &value, data_type_t type, const utils::field_attributes &attr = utils::null_attributes);
 
   template < class Pointer >
-  void on_belongs_to(const char * /*id*/, Pointer &x, utils::cascade_type)
+  void on_belongs_to(const char * /*id*/, Pointer &x, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/)
   {
     if (!x.get()) {
       x.reset(new typename Pointer::value_type);
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ public:
     pk_reader_.read(*x, column_index_++);
   }
   template < class Pointer >
-  void on_has_one(const char * /*id*/, Pointer &x, utils::cascade_type)
+  void on_has_one(const char * /*id*/, Pointer &x, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/)
   {
     if (!x.get()) {
       x.reset(new typename Pointer::value_type);
@@ -91,9 +92,9 @@ public:
   }
 
   template<class ContainerType>
-  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const char *, const char *, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const char *, const char *, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
   template<class ContainerType>
-  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
 
   template<class Type>
   void bind(const Type &) {}
diff --git a/include/matador/sql/value_extractor.hpp b/include/matador/sql/value_extractor.hpp
index 82db268..206d653 100644
--- a/include/matador/sql/value_extractor.hpp
+++ b/include/matador/sql/value_extractor.hpp
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 #include "matador/sql/fk_value_extractor.hpp"
 #include "matador/sql/data_type_traits.hpp"
 
+#include "matador/utils/foreign_attributes.hpp"
+
 #include <vector>
 
 namespace matador::sql {
@@ -41,19 +43,19 @@ public:
   void on_attribute(const char *id, std::string &x, const utils::field_attributes &/*attr*/ = utils::null_attributes);
 
   template<class Type, template < class ... > class Pointer>
-  void on_belongs_to(const char * /*id*/, Pointer<Type> &x, utils::cascade_type)
+  void on_belongs_to(const char * /*id*/, Pointer<Type> &x, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/)
   {
     values_.emplace_back(fk_value_extractor_.extract(*x));
   }
   template<class Type, template < class ... > class Pointer>
-  void on_has_one(const char * /*id*/, Pointer<Type> &x, utils::cascade_type)
+  void on_has_one(const char * /*id*/, Pointer<Type> &x, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/)
   {
     values_.emplace_back(fk_value_extractor_.extract(*x));
   }
   template<class ContainerType>
-  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const char *, const char *, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const char *, const char *, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
   template<class ContainerType>
-  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, utils::cascade_type) {}
+  void on_has_many(const char *, ContainerType &, const utils::foreign_attributes &/*attr*/) {}
 
 private:
   template<typename Type>
diff --git a/include/matador/utils/access.hpp b/include/matador/utils/access.hpp
index 796b72b..7cc3293 100644
--- a/include/matador/utils/access.hpp
+++ b/include/matador/utils/access.hpp
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 #ifndef QUERY_ACCESS_HPP
 #define QUERY_ACCESS_HPP
 
-#include "matador/utils/cascade_type.hpp"
-
 #include <string>
 #include <optional>
 
@@ -12,6 +10,7 @@ template < class Type, template < class ... > class ContainerType >
 class container;
 
 class field_attributes;
+class foreign_attributes;
 
 namespace access {
 
@@ -56,23 +55,23 @@ void attribute(Operator &op, const char *id, Type &value) {
 }
 
 template<class Operator, class Type>
-void has_one(Operator &op, const char *id, Type &value, cascade_type cascade) {
-  op.on_has_one(id, value, cascade);
+void has_one(Operator &op, const char *id, Type &value, const foreign_attributes &attr) {
+  op.on_has_one(id, value, attr);
 }
 
 template<class Operator, class Type>
-void belongs_to(Operator &op, const char *id, Type &value, cascade_type cascade) {
-  op.on_belongs_to(id, value, cascade);
+void belongs_to(Operator &op, const char *id, Type &value, const foreign_attributes &attr) {
+  op.on_belongs_to(id, value, attr);
 }
 
 template<class Operator, class Type, template<class ...> class ContainerType>
-void has_many(Operator &op, const char *id, container<Type, ContainerType> &container, cascade_type cascade) {
-  op.on_has_many(id, container, cascade);
+void has_many(Operator &op, const char *id, container<Type, ContainerType> &container, const foreign_attributes &attr) {
+  op.on_has_many(id, container, attr);
 }
 
 template<class Operator, class Type, template<class ...> class ContainerType>
-void has_many(Operator &op, const char *id, container<Type, ContainerType> &container, const char *left_column, const char *right_column, cascade_type cascade) {
-  op.on_has_many(id, container, left_column, right_column, cascade);
+void has_many(Operator &op, const char *id, container<Type, ContainerType> &container, const char *left_column, const char *right_column, const foreign_attributes &attr) {
+  op.on_has_many(id, container, left_column, right_column, attr);
 }
 
 }
diff --git a/include/matador/utils/fetch_type.hpp b/include/matador/utils/fetch_type.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f97b9a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/matador/utils/fetch_type.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#ifndef QUERY_FETCH_TYPE_HPP
+#define QUERY_FETCH_TYPE_HPP
+
+#include <cstdint>
+
+/**
+ * @brief Defines fetch types
+ *
+ * Defines fetch types for foreign relations
+ */
+enum class fetch_type : uint8_t
+{
+  LAZY,   /**< Indicates lazy fetch */
+  EAGER   /**< Indicates eager fetch */
+};
+
+#endif //QUERY_FETCH_TYPE_HPP
diff --git a/include/matador/utils/foreign_attributes.hpp b/include/matador/utils/foreign_attributes.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b779c28
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/matador/utils/foreign_attributes.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+#ifndef QUERY_FOREIGN_ATTRIBUTES_HPP
+#define QUERY_FOREIGN_ATTRIBUTES_HPP
+
+#include "matador/utils/fetch_type.hpp"
+#include "matador/utils/cascade_type.hpp"
+
+namespace matador::utils {
+
+class foreign_attributes
+{
+public:
+  foreign_attributes() = default;
+  foreign_attributes(cascade_type cascade); // NOLINT(*-explicit-constructor)
+  foreign_attributes(fetch_type fetch); // NOLINT(*-explicit-constructor)
+  foreign_attributes(cascade_type cascade, fetch_type fetch);
+  foreign_attributes(const foreign_attributes &x) = default;
+  foreign_attributes& operator=(const foreign_attributes &x) = default;
+  foreign_attributes(foreign_attributes &&x) = default;
+  foreign_attributes& operator=(foreign_attributes &&x) = default;
+  ~foreign_attributes() = default;
+
+  [[nodiscard]] cascade_type cascade() const;
+  [[nodiscard]] fetch_type fetch() const;
+
+private:
+  cascade_type cascade_{cascade_type::NONE};
+  fetch_type fetch_{fetch_type::LAZY};
+};
+
+const foreign_attributes default_foreign_attributes {};
+
+}
+
+#endif //QUERY_FOREIGN_ATTRIBUTES_HPP
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index ebb18aa..ee52564 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -82,7 +82,9 @@ set(UTILS_HEADER
   ../include/matador/utils/cascade_type.hpp
   ../include/matador/utils/logger.hpp
   ../include/matador/utils/enum_mapper.hpp
-  ../include/matador/utils/types.hpp)
+  ../include/matador/utils/types.hpp
+  ../include/matador/utils/foreign_attributes.hpp
+  ../include/matador/utils/fetch_type.hpp)
 
 set(UTILS_SOURCES
   utils/field_attributes.cpp
@@ -92,7 +94,8 @@ set(UTILS_SOURCES
   utils/os.cpp
   utils/identifier.cpp
   sql/value_extractor.cpp
-  utils/logger.cpp)
+  utils/logger.cpp
+  utils/foreign_attributes.cpp)
 
 add_library(matador STATIC ${SQL_SOURCES} ${SQL_HEADER} ${UTILS_SOURCES} ${UTILS_HEADER})
 target_include_directories(matador PUBLIC ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/include)
diff --git a/src/utils/foreign_attributes.cpp b/src/utils/foreign_attributes.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d3c7122
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/foreign_attributes.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#include "matador/utils/foreign_attributes.hpp"
+
+matador::utils::foreign_attributes::foreign_attributes(matador::utils::cascade_type cascade)
+: cascade_(cascade) {}
+
+matador::utils::foreign_attributes::foreign_attributes(fetch_type fetch)
+: fetch_(fetch) {}
+
+matador::utils::foreign_attributes::foreign_attributes(matador::utils::cascade_type cascade, fetch_type fetch)
+: cascade_(cascade)
+, fetch_(fetch ) {}
+
+matador::utils::cascade_type matador::utils::foreign_attributes::cascade() const
+{
+  return cascade_;
+}
+
+fetch_type matador::utils::foreign_attributes::fetch() const
+{
+  return fetch_;
+}
+