Dietary micronutrients are associated with higher cognitive function gains among primary school children in rural Kenya

Abstract

With the exception of iodine and iron, there is still very limited information on the effect of micronutrients on cognitive function, especially among school‐age children. This analysis evaluates the relationship between dietary iron, zinc and B‐vitamins and, gains in cognitive test scores among school children in rural Kenya. Data for this study were obtained from The Child Nutrition Kenya Project, a 2‐year longitudinal. Dietary nutrient values were based on monthly and bimonthly 24‐hour recall data collected during the study period. In longitudinal regression analyses, available iron, available zinc, vitamin B‐12 and riboflavin showed significant relationships with improved cognitive test scores, after controlling for confounders such as energy intake, school, socio‐economic status and morbidity. This analysis demonstrates the influence of improved dietary micronutrient status on school children's cognitive function. Support: GLCRSP