Associations between the Mediterranean Diet Pattern and Weight Status and Cognitive Development in Preschool Children.

Federico Granziera,Patricia Iozzo,Maria Angela Guzzardi

doi:10.3390/nu13113723

Abstract

Cognitive dysfunctions are a global health concern. Early-life diet and weight status may contribute to children’s cognitive development. For this reason, we explored the associations between habitual food consumption, body mass index (BMI) and cognitive outcomes in 54 preschool children belonging to the Pisa birth Cohort (PISAC). We estimated groups of foods, nutrients and calorie intakes through a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and Italian national databases. Then, we adopted the Mediterranean diet (MD) score to assess relative MD adherence. Cognition was examined using the Griffiths Mental Development Scales-Extended Revised (GMDS-ER). We found that higher, compared to low and moderate, adherence to MD was associated with higher performance scores. Furthermore, white meat consumption was positively related to BMI, and BMI (age–gender specific, z-scores) categories were negatively related to practical reasoning scores. All associations were independent of maternal IQ estimates, parents’ socioeconomic status, exclusive/non-exclusive breastfeeding, actual age at cognitive assessment and gender. In conclusion, in preschool children, very high adherence to MD seemed protective, whereas BMI (reinforced by the intake of white meat) was negatively associated with cognition.

Highlights

Life-course studies have shown that a lower intelligence quotient (IQ) at 11 years is already predictive of dementia seven decades later [4], suggesting that the risk is partially settled at 11 years and preventive actions should focus on younger children
We found that some intakes in children were correlated with maternal IQ and parents’ European Socio-economic Classification (ESeC) or exclusive/non-exclusive breastfeeding in the first
We found that stricter Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence was positively related with scores in the performance domain in preschool children

Summary

Introduction

Life-course studies have shown that a lower intelligence quotient (IQ) at 11 years is already predictive of dementia seven decades later [4], suggesting that the risk is partially settled at 11 years and preventive actions should focus on younger children

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion