Diet Patterns Featuring Western-Style and Low-Preparation Foods Differentially Relate to Cognitive Function in Early Childhood From the STRONG Kids 2 Birth Cohort Study
Background: Dietary intake in early life is implicated in cognitive development. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate how diet patterns derived at 2, 3 and 4 y old relate to executive functions and early cognitive and academic skills using data from the longitudinal STRONG Kids 2 cohort. Meth...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Current Developments in Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S247529912502949X |
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| author | Arden L McMath Shelby A Keye Jennifer M Barton Corinne N Cannavale Samantha J Iwinski Kelly F Bost Sharon M Donovan Naiman A Khan |
| author_facet | Arden L McMath Shelby A Keye Jennifer M Barton Corinne N Cannavale Samantha J Iwinski Kelly F Bost Sharon M Donovan Naiman A Khan |
| author_sort | Arden L McMath |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Dietary intake in early life is implicated in cognitive development. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate how diet patterns derived at 2, 3 and 4 y old relate to executive functions and early cognitive and academic skills using data from the longitudinal STRONG Kids 2 cohort. Methods: The Behavioral Inventory of Executive Functions Preschool caregiver survey was used to assess executive functions in 2 and 4 y olds. A subsample of children completed a modified Eriksen flanker to measure attentional inhibition, a hearts and flowers switch task to assess cognitive flexibility, and the Woodcock Johnson Early Cognitive and Academic Development tests to assess academic abilities during preschool ages (between 4 and 6 y old). Block Food Frequency Questionnaire items were grouped into 23 food groups, and dietary patterns were derived using principal component and confirmatory factor analyses. Three diet patterns were derived at each age (2, 3, and 4 y old); children were not assigned to a specific diet pattern but, rather, had 3 different diet pattern scores that were used for analyses. Diet pattern scores were used as predictors of executive functions at 2 (n = 217) and 4 y old (n = 250–266), as well as attentional inhibition (n = 53–56) and cognitive flexibility (n = 50–59) tasks and cognitive (n = 65–71) and academic (n = 55–57) scores in preschooler subsample. Results: Diets with higher intake of processed meats, sweets, and fried foods at 3 y old was related to lower Woodcock Johnson scores (all β ≥ −0.351, false discovery rate–adjusted P value = 0.028), whereas those with higher intakes of grains, nuts/seeds, and condiments at 2 y was related to greater incongruent flanker accuracy (β: 0.380; ΔR2 = 0.132; false discovery rate–adjusted P value = 0.030). Diet patterns from 2 to 4 y old were related to academic achievement and attentional inhibition; however, these associations were not independent of diet pattern at time of cognitive assessments. Conclusions: This study emphasizes the potential value of exploring early diet interventions aimed at improving dietary patterns to support cognitive development. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-773ea9c8c9f743f2b1fc8bd8131265be |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2475-2991 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
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| series | Current Developments in Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-773ea9c8c9f743f2b1fc8bd8131265be2025-08-20T02:48:49ZengElsevierCurrent Developments in Nutrition2475-29912025-07-019710748810.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107488Diet Patterns Featuring Western-Style and Low-Preparation Foods Differentially Relate to Cognitive Function in Early Childhood From the STRONG Kids 2 Birth Cohort StudyArden L McMath0Shelby A Keye1Jennifer M Barton2Corinne N Cannavale3Samantha J Iwinski4Kelly F Bost5Sharon M Donovan6Naiman A Khan7Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United StatesDepartment of Health and Kinesiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United StatesFamily Resiliency Center, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, United StatesDepartment of Health and Kinesiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United StatesDepartment of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United StatesDepartment of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United StatesDivision of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United StatesDivision of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Department of Health and Kinesiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States; Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States; Corresponding author.Background: Dietary intake in early life is implicated in cognitive development. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate how diet patterns derived at 2, 3 and 4 y old relate to executive functions and early cognitive and academic skills using data from the longitudinal STRONG Kids 2 cohort. Methods: The Behavioral Inventory of Executive Functions Preschool caregiver survey was used to assess executive functions in 2 and 4 y olds. A subsample of children completed a modified Eriksen flanker to measure attentional inhibition, a hearts and flowers switch task to assess cognitive flexibility, and the Woodcock Johnson Early Cognitive and Academic Development tests to assess academic abilities during preschool ages (between 4 and 6 y old). Block Food Frequency Questionnaire items were grouped into 23 food groups, and dietary patterns were derived using principal component and confirmatory factor analyses. Three diet patterns were derived at each age (2, 3, and 4 y old); children were not assigned to a specific diet pattern but, rather, had 3 different diet pattern scores that were used for analyses. Diet pattern scores were used as predictors of executive functions at 2 (n = 217) and 4 y old (n = 250–266), as well as attentional inhibition (n = 53–56) and cognitive flexibility (n = 50–59) tasks and cognitive (n = 65–71) and academic (n = 55–57) scores in preschooler subsample. Results: Diets with higher intake of processed meats, sweets, and fried foods at 3 y old was related to lower Woodcock Johnson scores (all β ≥ −0.351, false discovery rate–adjusted P value = 0.028), whereas those with higher intakes of grains, nuts/seeds, and condiments at 2 y was related to greater incongruent flanker accuracy (β: 0.380; ΔR2 = 0.132; false discovery rate–adjusted P value = 0.030). Diet patterns from 2 to 4 y old were related to academic achievement and attentional inhibition; however, these associations were not independent of diet pattern at time of cognitive assessments. Conclusions: This study emphasizes the potential value of exploring early diet interventions aimed at improving dietary patterns to support cognitive development.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S247529912502949Xexecutive functionacademic achievementdiet patternstoddler |
| spellingShingle | Arden L McMath Shelby A Keye Jennifer M Barton Corinne N Cannavale Samantha J Iwinski Kelly F Bost Sharon M Donovan Naiman A Khan Diet Patterns Featuring Western-Style and Low-Preparation Foods Differentially Relate to Cognitive Function in Early Childhood From the STRONG Kids 2 Birth Cohort Study Current Developments in Nutrition executive function academic achievement diet patterns toddler |
| title | Diet Patterns Featuring Western-Style and Low-Preparation Foods Differentially Relate to Cognitive Function in Early Childhood From the STRONG Kids 2 Birth Cohort Study |
| title_full | Diet Patterns Featuring Western-Style and Low-Preparation Foods Differentially Relate to Cognitive Function in Early Childhood From the STRONG Kids 2 Birth Cohort Study |
| title_fullStr | Diet Patterns Featuring Western-Style and Low-Preparation Foods Differentially Relate to Cognitive Function in Early Childhood From the STRONG Kids 2 Birth Cohort Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diet Patterns Featuring Western-Style and Low-Preparation Foods Differentially Relate to Cognitive Function in Early Childhood From the STRONG Kids 2 Birth Cohort Study |
| title_short | Diet Patterns Featuring Western-Style and Low-Preparation Foods Differentially Relate to Cognitive Function in Early Childhood From the STRONG Kids 2 Birth Cohort Study |
| title_sort | diet patterns featuring western style and low preparation foods differentially relate to cognitive function in early childhood from the strong kids 2 birth cohort study |
| topic | executive function academic achievement diet patterns toddler |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S247529912502949X |
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