Visceral Adiposity and Diet Quality Are Differentially Associated With Cognitive Abilities and Early Academic Skills Among Preschool-Age Children

Frontiers in Pediatrics

article

Naiman A. Khan¹  Corinne Cannavale²  Samantha Iwinski⁴  Ruyu Liu³  Gabriella M. McLoughlin⁵  Linda G. Steinberg¹  Anne M. Walk⁶ 

[1] Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois, United States;Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, United States;Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois, United States;Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Illinois, United States;Department of Kinesiology, Iowa State University, United States;Department of Psychology, Eastern Illinois University, United States

关键词: neuropsychology;    nutrition;    abdominal obesity;    childhood;    intelligence;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fped.2019.00548

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Background: Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and diet quality influence cognitive health in preadolescents; however, these relationships remain understudied among preschool-age children. Objectives: Investigate the relationship between VAT, diet quality, academic skills, and cognitive abilities among preschool-age children. Methods: Children between 4 and 5 years ( N = 57) were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Woodcock Johnson Early Cognitive and Academic Development Test (ECAD™) was utilized to assess General Intellectual Ability, Early Academic Skills, and Expressive Language. DXA was used to assess VAT. Diet quality was measured using the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) based on 7-day food records. Results: Greater VAT was associated with poorer Early Academic Skills ( r = −0.28, P = 0.03) whereas a diet pattern that included Fatty Acids, Whole Grains, Saturated Fats, Seafood and Plant Proteins, Total Vegetables, and Dairy was positively associated with General Intellectual Ability ( r = 0.26, P = 0.04). Conclusions: Higher VAT is negatively related to Early Academic Skills whereas diet quality was positively and selectively related to intellectual abilities among preschool-age children. These findings indicate that the negative impact of abdominal adiposity on academic skills is evident as early as preschool-age while providing preliminary support for the potentially beneficial role of diet quality on cognitive abilities in early childhood.

【 授权许可】

CC BY