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Dietary restraint and cognitive performance in children
Jeffrey M Brunstrom1, Claire J Davison, Gemma L Mitchell
1Department of Human Sciences, Loughborough University, UK. jeff.brunstrom@bristol.ac.uk
Appetite
|September 21, 2005
Summary
Dietary restraint in children is linked to poorer cognitive performance. High restraint scores in girls correlated with slower reaction times and worse performance on the Tower of London task, suggesting a potential impact on academic ability.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Nutritional Psychology
Background:
- Dietary restraint in adults is associated with impaired cognitive function.
- The generalization of this finding to pediatric populations remains under-investigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between dietary restraint and cognitive performance in pre-adolescent girls.
- To investigate potential correlations between dietary restraint and academic ability in children.
Main Methods:
- 44 girls (mean age 10.1 years) completed reaction-time and Tower of London tasks.
- Dietary restraint was assessed using a child-adapted Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire.
- Participants were recruited from a UK primary school.
Main Results:
- Children with higher dietary restraint scores exhibited longer reaction times.
- Elevated dietary restraint was associated with poorer performance on the Tower of London task.
- Preliminary data suggest a negative correlation between dietary restraint and academic ability.
Conclusions:
- Dietary restraint may negatively impact cognitive functions, including reaction time and executive function, in children.
- The findings suggest a potential link between dietary restraint and academic performance, warranting further investigation.
- The causal mechanisms underlying the relationship between dietary restraint and cognitive performance in children require further scrutiny.