Diet, Water Consumption Can Affect Children’s Brain: Study

The study found that children who were more hydrated and ate proper food performed better.

A recent study found that diet, water intake and beverages like coffee can all have an impact on a child’s brain.

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A new study, presented at a meeting at the ‘Nutrition 2019’ in Baltimore, says that diet can affect children’s brain.

According to this new study, factors like diet, water intake and beverages like coffee can all have an impact on a child’s brain.

The Study

The researchers took 850 elementary school children as the subjects of the study.

The study found that children who were more hydrated performed better during tasks requiring cognitive flexibility. The children also showed better working memory after the consumption of 2.5 liters of water than when they were asked to drink only half a liter.

The study also found that children who consumed higher levels of snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages performed poorer on academic tests than the children who did not consume such things. However, such unhealthy diets were not linked to low scores in cognitive tests.

The researchers also found that under nutrition in young children can hamper their development.

A controlled trial that was conducted in 26 villages in India, showed that infants who received a multiple micro nutrient powder, an early learning intervention, or both, showed various improvements in expressive language, visual reception, and social-emotional behavior compared to the children who did not receive them.

It was also found that Caffeine and L-theanine, found in tea leaves, could lessen the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children. They studied the effects of Caffeine and L-theanine on 5 boys and found that they were less impulsive and more attentive when they took Caffeine and L-theanine supplements together. Children who did not take it did not show the same results.