Children everywhere are starting to get ready to go back to school after their long summer holidays. Nutrition and diet can impact the body and health in many ways, the most apparent concerns for parents of school aged children are immune health and brain function/behaviour.
In July I wrote about probiotics and prevention/treatment of childhood colds and last year I wrote about boosting immune health in children going back to school. Today I wanted to have another look at behaviour and the brain. Previously I have written about ADHD, particularly with regards the importance of omega 3 fatty acids for brain function. The brain is a highly complex organ. In infancy and childhood the brain is growing rapidly and it requires a lot of energy. There is a mounting body of evidence to suggest that diet can influence the development and functioning of the brain (1). This influence may well start with the diet of the mother during pregnancy and then in the infant in early life, however later in childhood nutritional intervention may well make a difference to brain function and cannot be discounted.
There is increasing evidence that the missing of breakfast has negative behavioural and attention consequences later in the morning and it is also thought that meals of a low rather than high glycaemic load are beneficial with regards child behaviour. There are also findings of an association between a tendency to develop low blood sugar (glucose) and aggression in children(2).
Glycaemic index and glycaemic load are terms used to characterise foods and diets based on their effects on blood glucose levels. Foods that release sugar quickly into the bloodstream have what is known as a high Glycaemic Index (GI), meals that favour a spike in blood sugar levels are said to have a high Glycaemic Load (GL). White bread, potatoes, processed/refined carbohydrates have a high glycaemic index i.e. they tend to cause a rapid surge in blood sugar. Vegetables, whole-grain high-fibre carbohydrates, create a more gradual change in blood sugar levels and are considered to have a low glycaemic index. For the classification of more food examples please visit the website ‘The Glycemic Index’, there you will find a database where you can search for specific foods and find out more about GI and health.
Certain nutrients have greater effects on brain development than do others and hence may have more of an impact on childhood behaviour and brain function. The important nutrients include protein (which is so important for proper growth in childhood), certain fats (especially omega 3 fats), iron, zinc, copper, iodine, selenium, vitamin A, choline, and folate (3). There is evidence that sub-clinical deficiencies of vitamins and minerals may influence anti-social behaviour and intelligence but the evidence is still controversial(4).The B vitamins, Folate and B12 (cobalamin), are vital for the brain. Deficiencies have negative consequences on the developing brain, and behaviour, during infancy; and deficits of both vitamins are associated with a greater risk of depression during adulthood (5). Recently vitamin D has also received attention with regards brain functioning. As you can see a myriad of nutrients are important for the brain and they probably work and act synergistically, this makes clinical trials difficult to carry out. However, there have been three well-designed studies which have reported that vitamin/mineral supplementation in children can reduce anti-social behaviour (2).
It is difficult to conclusively say which vitamins/minerals are most important and whether or not supplementation can help children – this is because behaviour is difficult to standardise and measure in a trial-setting. Also psychological and environmental influences will be having an effect. Needless to say our bodies are complex, we require various nutrients in correct proportions in order to stay optimally healthy. Many children in the UK fall short of achieving recommended 5 portions of fruit and vegetable daily which is worrying for health and many children do not eat oily fish (the best source of omega 3 fatty acids) at all. If you are concerned that your child is not eating a consistently healthy diet you may wish to consider a food-state multivitamin and mineral supplement that has been formulated specifically for children together with an omega 3 fatty acid supplement – easy to take liquid fish oils are now available for children which are naturally flavoured (usually lemon or orange). Flaxseed oil and omega 3 supplements produced from algae are available for vegetarian/vegan children.
A UK based study concludes: “Whilst the importance of diet in educational attainment remains under investigation, the evidence for promotion of lower-fat, -salt and -sugar diets, high in fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates, as well as promotion of physical activity remains unequivocal in terms of health outcomes for all schoolchildren”(6)
(1)Benton D. 2008. Eur J Nutr. The influence of children’s diet on their cognition and behavior. Eur J Nutr. 47 Suppl 3:25-37.
(2) Benton D. 2007. The impact of diet on anti-social, violent and criminal behaviour. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 31(5):752-74.
(3)Georgieff MK. 2007. Nutrition and the developing brain: nutrient priorities and measurement. Am J Clin Nutr. 85(2):614S-620S.
(4)Benton D. 2008. Micronutrient status, cognition and behavioral problems in childhood. Eur J Nutr. 47 Suppl 3:38-50.
(5)Black MM. 2008. Effects of vitamin B12 and folate deficiency on brain development in children. Food Nutr Bull. 29(2 Suppl):S126-31.
(6)Ells LJ et al. 2008. A systematic review of the effect of dietary exposure that could be achieved through normal dietary intake on learning and performance of school-aged children of relevance to UK schools. Br J Nutr. 100(5):927-36.
Written by Ani Kowal
Related posts:
- Unhealthy ‘Western’ style diet linked to ADHD
- Can essential fatty acids help children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?
- Omega 3 fats during pregnancy are important for memory function of children
- Can a multi-nutrient supplement benefit child intelligence?
- Can low vitamin B12 levels lead to brain shrinkage?
