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Diet-induced changes in iron and n-3 fatty acid status and associations with cognitive performance in 8–11-year-old Danish children: secondary analyses of the Optimal Well-Being, Development and Health for Danish Children through a Healthy New ...
- Source :
- British Journal of Nutrition; 11/28/2015, Vol. 114 Issue 10, p1623-1637, 15p
- Publication Year :
- 2015
-
Abstract
- Fe and n-3 long-chain PUFA (n-3 LCPUFA) have both been associated with cognition, but evidence remains inconclusive in well-nourished school-aged children. In the Optimal Well-Being, Development and Health for Danish Children through a Healthy New Nordic Diet (OPUS) School Meal Study, the 3-month intervention increased reading performance, inattention, impulsivity and dietary intake of fish and Fe. This study investigated whether the intervention influenced n-3 LCPUFA and Fe status and, if so, explored how these changes correlated with the changes in cognitive performance. The study was a cluster-randomised cross-over trial comparing school meals with packed lunch (control). At baseline and after each treatment, we measured serum ferritin, whole-blood n-3 LCPUFA and Hb, and performance in reading, mathematics and d2-test of attention. Data were analysed using mixed models (n 726) and principal component analysis of test performances (n 644), which showed two main patterns: ‘school performance’ and ‘reading comprehension’. The latter indicated that children with good reading comprehension were also more inattentive and impulsive (i.e. higher d2-test error%). The intervention improved ‘school performance’ (P=0·015), ‘reading comprehension’ (P=0·043) and EPA+DHA status 0·21 (95 % CI 0·15, 0·27) w/w % (P<0·001), but it did not affect serum ferritin or Hb. At baseline, having small Fe stores was associated with poorer ‘school performance’ in girls, but with better ‘reading comprehension’ in both boys and girls. Both baseline EPA+DHA status and the intervention-induced increase in EPA+DHA status was positively associated with ‘school performance’, suggesting that n-3 LCPUFA could potentially explain approximately 20 % of the intervention effect. These exploratory associations indicate that increased fish intake might explain some of the increase in reading performance and inattention in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Subjects :
- IRON metabolism
ATTENTION in children
CLINICAL trials
COGNITION in children
CONFIDENCE intervals
STATISTICAL correlation
CROSSOVER trials
DIET
EDUCATIONAL tests & measurements
FACTOR analysis
FERRITIN
FISHES
FOOD service
HEMOGLOBINS
INGESTION
IRON compounds
LUNCHEONS
MATHEMATICS
OMEGA-3 fatty acids
PROBABILITY theory
READING
REGRESSION analysis
RESEARCH funding
STATISTICS
T-test (Statistics)
SAMPLE size (Statistics)
DATA analysis
SECONDARY analysis
ACCELEROMETRY
PHYSICAL activity
DATA analysis software
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
NUTRITIONAL status
ODDS ratio
CHILDREN
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00071145
- Volume :
- 114
- Issue :
- 10
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- British Journal of Nutrition
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 110459707
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114515003323