Abstract
Studies investigating the association of vitamin D on intelligence is limited. The present study therefore aims to determine the association of vitamin D status with the different domains of intelligence among Saudi Arabian adolescents. This study used relational survey method among 1864 Saudi adolescent, including 549 boys and 1315 girls (mean age 14.7 ± 1.7 years) recruited using a multistage, stratified cluster randomization of 47 public and private schools in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. A general questionnaire was used to collect demographic information. Intelligence was assessed using multiple intelligence inventory. Anthropometrics were measured and fasting blood samples collected for assessment of glucose and lipid profile. Vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D <50 nmol/L) was observed in 84.2% of boys and 93.5% of girls. Girls had higher levels of verbal, kinesthetic, musical, naturalist and existential intelligence than boys, while boys have higher logical intelligence than girls (p-values < 0.05). Mixed regression analysis controlled for age, BMI and sex revealed that kinesthetic intelligence was significantly associated with 25(OH)D in boys (β 5.6 (2.8–8.5; p < 0.001)) and inversely associated with musical intelligence (β −1.2 (−2.3–0.1; p = 0.03)) and positively with naturalist (β 2.3 (0.5–4.2; p = 0.01)) in girls. Vitamin D status is associated with several domains of intelligence in adolescents and is sex-specific. Development a specific domain of intelligence may indirectly affect vitamin D status among adolescents, but needs to be proven prospectively.
Highlights
Intelligence is the capacity to learn new knowledge and skills to solve problems
Vitamin D deficiency was noted in 84.2% of the boys and 93.5%
The present study found that differences exist in Multiple Intelligence (MI) of boys and girls, and that certain types of intelligence is associated with vitamin D status independent from age and BMI
Summary
Intelligence is the capacity to learn new knowledge and skills to solve problems. It reveals the ability to understand environments [1]. Most definitions of intelligence focus on academic success [1,2], but it is acknowledged that other components of intelligence such as problem-solving cannot be probed sufficiently in short-answer tests [3], the need for other assessment tools that go beyond conventional measures of acquired skills [3,4,5]. (vi) intrapersonal, (vii) kinesthetic, (viii) musical and (ix) existential, all of which interact and work together in complex ways [8]. These multiple intelligences when assessed correctly can aid instructors identify the students’ maximum potential [9,10]
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