Visceral Adiposity and Diet Quality Are Differentially Associated With Cognitive Abilities and Early Academic Skills Among Preschool-Age Children.

Naiman A Khan,Corinne Cannavale,Linda G Steinberg,Anne M Walk,Samantha Iwinski,Ruyu Liu,Gabriella M Mcloughlin

doi:10.3389/fped.2019.00548

Abstract

Background: Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and diet quality influence cognitive health in preadolescents; however, these relationships remain understudied among preschool-age children.Objectives: Investigate the relationship between VAT, diet quality, academic skills, and cognitive abilities among preschool-age children.Methods: Children between 4 and 5 years (N = 57) were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Woodcock Johnson Early Cognitive and Academic Development Test (ECAD™) was utilized to assess General Intellectual Ability, Early Academic Skills, and Expressive Language. DXA was used to assess VAT. Diet quality was measured using the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) based on 7-day food records.Results: Greater VAT was associated with poorer Early Academic Skills (r = −0.28, P = 0.03) whereas a diet pattern that included Fatty Acids, Whole Grains, Saturated Fats, Seafood and Plant Proteins, Total Vegetables, and Dairy was positively associated with General Intellectual Ability (r = 0.26, P = 0.04).Conclusions: Higher VAT is negatively related to Early Academic Skills whereas diet quality was positively and selectively related to intellectual abilities among preschool-age children. These findings indicate that the negative impact of abdominal adiposity on academic skills is evident as early as preschool-age while providing preliminary support for the potentially beneficial role of diet quality on cognitive abilities in early childhood.

Highlights

Childhood is a period of dynamic brain growth and cognitive development that is partially shaped by a child’s nutritional exposures [1]
The findings of the study revealed that specific dietary patterns, as identified by principal component analyses (PCA), were selectively related to greater intellectual ability and early academic skills
In addition to the relevance of diet quality for cognitive abilities and academic skills, the present study extends the literature on accumulation of fat tissue in the visceral cavity and academic abilities by linking these factors among pre-school age children

Summary

Introduction

Childhood is a period of dynamic brain growth and cognitive development that is partially shaped by a child’s nutritional exposures [1]. Nutritional recommendations for children’s brain health and cognitive function are absent from the U.S Dietary Guidelines [2] This is concerning as the vast majority of children in the United States habitually fail to adhere to their recommended dietary guidelines i.e., exhibit poor diet quality [3]. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT), an adipose depot site well recognized for its detrimental metabolic implications, has been shown to predict poorer cognitive function in preadolescent children as well as adults [7,8,9]. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and diet quality influence cognitive health in preadolescents; these relationships remain understudied among preschool-age children

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Discussion

Conclusion