NCT02331667

The Effect of Diet on Learning Abilities for Children in Kindergarden

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 233 (actual)
• Sponsor: National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research, Norway · Other Government
• Sex: All
• Age: 4 Years – 6 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The main aim of this intervention study is to test the effect of diet on improvement in cognitive performanc in kindergarden children aged 4-6 years. Children will be randomly allocated into two groups, one consuming prepared meals with herring or mackerel for four months, and one group consuming meals containing meat as a control group.

Detailed description

Positive effects of n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), as provided by fatty fish intake, on cognitive functions are widely accepted, but so far there is no clear evidence from randomized intervention studies in children and young adults, although fish intake has been positively associated with cognitive functions in observational studies. The main aim of this study is to test the effect of diet on improvement in cognitive performance in kindergarden children aged 4-6 years. In the intervention study, children will be randomly allocated into two groups, one consuming prepared meals with herring or mackerel for four months, and one group consuming meals containing meat as a control group. The children (n=200) will consume the prepared meals three times a week. Cognitive performance of the children will be tested at study start and end using the the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI\_III) and nine hole peg test. Children will be screened for mental health problems in the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), which is a global measure of children's mental health. Compliance will be monitored by documentation of study fish intake and measuring fatty acid status. For a more detailed investigation of effects of increased herring and mackerel intake, before and after intervention blood and urine will be collected for lipidomic analysis (metabolites), vitamin D and iodine determination and genotyping (fatty acid metabolism and inflammation).

Conditions

• Cognitive Performance

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Seafood	The aim is to investigate the effect of meals consisting of mackrel and herring on learning abilities by using a two-armed individually randomized non-blinded intervention trial.
OTHER	Non-seafood	The aim is to investigate the effect of meals consisting of meat on learning abilities by using a two-armed individually randomized non-blinded intervention trial.

Timeline

• Start date: 2014-12-01
• Primary completion: 2015-06-01
• Completion: 2015-06-01
• First posted: 2015-01-06
• Last updated: 2020-11-27

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Norway