NCT02082444

Cognition Intervention Study PLUS (CogniDO PLUS)

Cognition Intervention Study PLUS (CogniDO PLUS): Short-term Effects of Lunch on Children's Executive Cognitive Functions

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 193 (actual)
• Sponsor: Research Institute of Child Nutrition, Dortmund · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 10 Years – 13 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Major aim of the Cognition Intervention Study Dortmund (CogniDo) was to add scientifically proven insights into cognitive effects of lunch to the existing recommendations for school meals in Germany. The Cognition Intervention Study Dortmund PLUS ties up to that aim. As an enhancement of CogniDo this study investigates the short-term effects of having school lunch versus skipping it on children's executive cognitive functions in the afternoon. The study was conducted in a comprehensive school in Gelsenkirchen (Germany) and included 215 children.

Detailed description

Because of cerebral particularities, children may react highly sensitive to short-term variations of nutrient supply. Therefore, an optimised composition of meals at favourable mealtime should be considered for optimal cognitive performance. The increasing implementation of all-day schools in Germany requires the children's catering for lunch at school. However, the number of 'meal skippers' is increasing among children and adolescents. Thus, the effect of skipping lunch at school on cognitive functioning is examined in this experimental cross-over trial. As prior intake of food can have an influence on the physiological effect of test meal, the children's dietary intake in the mid-morning is standardized. The intervention is integrated in everyday school life: 9.15 a.m. standardized snack within the frame of the regular break, 9.45 a.m. to 12.25 p.m. everyday school life, 12.25 p.m. either lunch (control) or water as a beverage (intervention of 'skipping meal'), 12.45 p.m. to 1.15 p.m. regular lunch break, 1.15 p.m. computerized tests of executive cognitive functioning, 2 p.m. lunch for the 'skipping meal'-group. Parameters of cognition with relevance to everyday school life are measured by a computerized test program developed by the Institute of Working Learning and Aging (Institut für Arbeiten Lernen Altern, ALA). Usual eating behaviour, sleep behaviour, physical activity and parental education were determined as control variables by questionnaires for children, parents. Migration background was requested from teachers. Body Mass Index was calculated based on measured height and weight.

Conditions

• Having Lunch
• Omitting Lunch

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Skipping lunch

Timeline

• Start date: 2013-11-01
• Primary completion: 2013-12-01
• First posted: 2014-03-10
• Last updated: 2014-03-10

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Germany