NCT02344056

Cognition Intervention Study Dortmund- Continued (Coco)

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 154 (actual)
• Sponsor: Research Institute of Child Nutrition, Dortmund · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 10 Years – 14 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The Cognition Intervention Study Dortmund (CogniDo) and the Cognition Intervention Study Dortmund PLUS (CogniDo PLUS) investigated the short-term effects of having school lunch versus skipping it on children's basal (CogniDo) and executive (CogniDo PLUS) cognitive functions in the afternoon. The present Coco study connect this two previous studies and investigates the effect of having school lunch versus skipping it on children's basal and executive cognitive functions later in the afternoon.

Detailed description

Because of cerebral particularities, children may react highly sensitive to 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. to 14.10 p.m. regular school lesson. 14.15 p.m. computerized tests of executive cognitive and basal (alertness) functioning, 3 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 (ALA). Usual eating behaviour, sleep behaviour, physical activity and parental education were determined as control variables by questionnaires for children, parents.

Conditions

• Cognitive Function

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Having lunch/skipping lunch	Lunch ad libitum on test day 1 and no lunch on test day 2. Water at libitum was constantly available on both days.
OTHER	Skipping lunch/having lunch	No lunch on test day 1 and lunch ad libitum on test day 2. Water at libitum was constantly available on both days.

Timeline

• Start date: 2014-10-01
• Primary completion: 2015-03-01
• Completion: 2015-03-01
• First posted: 2015-01-22
• Last updated: 2016-04-29

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Germany