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Development of Spatial Orientation in Two-to-Three-Year-Old Children in Relation to Lifestyle Factors

Claudia van Dun1, Ilaria Lisi1, Janna van Diepen2

  • 1Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Nutrients
|August 26, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Toddlers show a developmental shift in spatial orientation, learning to use allocentric reference frames. Lifestyle factors like screen time and maternal weight gain negatively impact spatial cognition development.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental psychology
  • Cognitive neuroscience
  • Child health

Background:

  • Lifestyle factors (diet, physical activity, sleep) are linked to child health.
  • The impact of lifestyle on cognitive abilities, especially spatial cognition, is understudied.
  • Spatial cognition development includes a shift to allocentric reference frames around 2.5-3 years.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the developmental shift in spatial orientation in toddlers.
  • To explore the association between lifestyle factors and individual differences in spatial task performance.

Main Methods:

  • Virtual reality study with 57 toddlers aged 30-36 months.
  • Assessed spatial orientation using egocentric and allocentric reference frames.
  • Correlated lifestyle factors (diet, screen time, etc.) with spatial task performance.

Main Results:

  • A marginally significant developmental shift towards allocentric spatial orientation was observed.
  • Increased screen time was negatively associated with spatial task performance.
  • Higher maternal gestational weight gain was also linked to poorer spatial task performance.

Conclusions:

  • Toddlers exhibit a developmental transition in spatial orientation strategies.
  • Early life lifestyle factors, including screen time and maternal weight gain, may influence spatial cognitive development.
  • Findings highlight potential targets for future research and intervention to support cognitive development.

Keywords:
allocentriccognitiondevelopmentegocentricgestational weight gainlifestylescreen timetoddlersvirtual reality

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