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A review of studies of the effect of severe malnutrition on mental development
1Tropical Metabolism Research Unit, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston, Jamaica.
Insights
Severe early childhood malnutrition is linked to lasting cognitive and behavioral deficits in school-age children. Subsequent environments significantly impact developmental outcomes, highlighting the importance of interventions.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Severe malnutrition in early childhood can impact long-term cognitive and behavioral development.
- Understanding these effects is crucial for early intervention and public health strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing studies on the relationship between severe malnutrition and mental development in children.
- To assess the evidence for lasting cognitive and behavioral deficits and influencing factors.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of research studies examining children with a history of severe malnutrition.
- Comparison of developmental outcomes (IQ, cognitive function, school achievement, behavior) between malnourished children and control groups.
Main Results:
- Children with early malnutrition show poorer IQ, cognitive function, school achievement, and increased behavioral problems.
- These disadvantages persist into adolescence, with no specific cognitive deficit consistently identified.
- Developmental improvements are possible with positive environmental changes (e.g., adoption, intervention).
Conclusions:
- A strong, though not unequivocal, causal link exists between severe malnutrition and impaired development.
- The quality of the post-malnutrition environment plays a critical role in determining developmental outcomes.
- Further research is needed to establish the precise mechanisms and potential interactions with other nutritional deficiencies.
Abstract:
This is a review of studies on the relationship between mental development and severe malnutrition. School-age children who suffered from early childhood malnutrition have generally been found to have poorer IQ levels, cognitive function, school achievement and greater behavioral problems than matched controls and, to a lesser extent, siblings. The disadvantages last at least until adolescence. There is no consistent evidence of a specific cognitive deficit. The evidence of a causal relationship is strong but not unequivocal because of difficulties in interpreting retrospective case control studies. Marked improvements in development can occur after adoption or intervention. Therefore, the outcome depends to a large extent on the quality of the subsequent environment. It is likely that extremely deprived environments would exacerbate the effects. There is limited evidence that other nutritional deficiencies may interact with previous malnutrition in affecting cognition. The mechanism linking malnutrition to poor development is still not established.