The need for nutrition probably elicits thoughts about the body and its energy requirements. However, the brain uses food to carry out processes as well. This is especially true during childhood, which is marked by significant brain growth. The outcomes of proper food intake manifest in childhood behaviors and academic performance.
Types
Omega-3 fatty acids are gaining popularity for their ability to enhance cognitive processes, according to Fernando Gomez-Pinilla in July 2008 in Nature Reviews Neuroscience. DHA, which is found in omega-3 fatty acids, is the most abundant fatty acid within the membrane of brain cells, as Gomez-Pinilla explains. Also, healthy brain functioning requires vitamins, minerals and proteins, according to research by Jennifer Dani and associates and published in 2005 in Nutrition and Food Science. In their study, children who ate breakfast and had diets that were overall sufficient in iron, iodine and protein had the best outcomes.
Outcomes
Food affects kids' alertness and their ability to solve problems. Further, the right foods can promote improvements in mood and behavior within normal children, according to C. Conners in 2001 in the book "Feeding the Brain: How Foods Affect Children." The children in the study conducted by Dani and associates had better behavior in school and had higher levels of learning. Similarly, other studies have cited that vitamins and minerals were effective in preventing learning and behavior disorders, as Dani and the researchers explain.
Process
Food affects the body on a molecular level by interacting with the processes that support mental functioning, according to Gomez-Pinilla. The cells of the brain require energy derived from food to regulate processes such as memory and attention. The quality of food consumption affects how well these processes occur.
Considerations
Foods that are high in saturated fats place kids at a higher risk for developing neurological problems, such as ADHD, according to Gomez-Pinilla. Artificial ingredients are another area of consideration regarding the brain health of children. Specifically, food colors, flavors and preservatives are all thought to reduce mental functioning, according to Dr. David Schab and Dr. Nhi-Ha Trinh in December 2004 in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. In fact, physicians and parents often resort to food without these ingredients for children with ADHD as an alternative to the medications used to treat ADHD, whose effects are largely unknown, as the authors note. The results are promising as such diets have been shown to be effective.
Investigation
A drink containing glucose was found to help performance and behavior in a group of schoolchildren ages 9 to 11 in a study conducted by David Benton and Megan Stevens published in July 2008 in Biological Psychology. The children who were given the glucose drink had better memories and spent more time on school tasks. However, attention was not affected by the glucose drink. These findings are attributed to the fact that children's brains have higher glucose requirements than that of adults, as the authors note.
References
- "Nature Reviews Neuroscience"; Brain Foods: The Effect of Nutrients on Brain Function; Fernando Gomez-Pinilla; July 2008
- "Feeding the Brain: How Foods Affect Children"; C. Keith Conners; 2001
- "Biological Psychology"; The Influence of a Glucose Containing Drink on the Behavior of Children in School; David Benton & Megan K. Stevens; July 2008
- "Nutrition and Food Science"; The Remarkable Role of Nutrition in Learning and Behavior; Jennifer Dani et al.; 2005
- "Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics"'; Do Artificial Food Colors Promote Hyperactivity in Children with Hyperactive Syndromes? A Meta-Analysis of Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trials; David W. Schab, M.D., M.P.H.& Nhi-Ha T. Trinh, M.D., Ph.D.; December 2004
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