英國研究人員多年隨訪1.4萬名兒童后發(fā)現(xiàn),，3歲以前攝取垃圾食品較多者,，日后智商可能低于同齡人,。這一研究報告發(fā)表在7日出版的英國醫(yī)學會下屬《流行病和公共衛(wèi)生雜志》月刊上。
這項研究涉及1991年和1992年出生的1.4萬人,。研究人員在研究對象3歲,、4歲、7歲和8歲半時分別要求其父母回答調(diào)查問卷,，了解其飲食種類細節(jié),。
研究主要關(guān)注3類飲食，一是富含加工脂肪和糖類的飲食,；二是多肉類和蔬菜的“傳統(tǒng)”飲食,；三是“注重健康”的飲食，以沙拉,、水果,、蔬菜、面食和米飯為主,。
當研究對象長至8歲半時,，研究人員用韋氏智力量表測試其智商。結(jié)果顯示,，在4000名數(shù)據(jù)完整的研究對象中,，3歲前食用加工食品較多者與飲食“注重健康”者智商存在明顯差異。食用加工食品最多的五分之一兒童平均智商為101,，飲食“注重健康”的五分之一兒童平均智商為106,。
報告作者之一埃米特說：“這是一個非常小的差異，但這使得他們應(yīng)對教育和人生中其他一些事務(wù)的能力較低,。”
至于垃圾食品影響智商的原因,，埃米特認為，以加工食品為主的飲食缺少對大腦發(fā)育至關(guān)重要的維生素和其他元素，“生命最初3年,，大腦發(fā)育最快,，這一階段良好的營養(yǎng)可能促使大腦最佳發(fā)育”。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原文出處：
J Epidemiol Community Health doi:10.1136/jech.2010.111955
Are dietary patterns in childhood associated with IQ at 8 years of age? A population-based cohort study
Kate Northstone1, Carol Joinson1, Pauline Emmett1, Andy Ness2, Tomá? Paus3,4,5
Abstract
Background Little is known about the effects of overall diet in childhood and intelligence later in life.
Methods The current study, based on the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, uses data on children's diet reported by parents in food-frequency questionnaires at 3, 4, 7 and 8.5 years of age. Dietary patterns were identified using principal-components analysis and scores computed at each age. IQ was assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children at 8.5 years. Data on a number of confounders were collected, and complete data were available for 3966 children.
Results After adjustment, the ‘processed’ (high fat and sugar content) pattern of diet at 3 years of age was negatively associated with IQ assessed at 8.5 years of age—a 1 SD increase in dietary pattern score was associated with a 1.67 point decrease in IQ (95% CI ?2.34 to ?1.00; p<0.0001). The ‘health-conscious’ (salad, rice, pasta, fish, fruit) pattern at 8.5 years was positively associated with IQ: a 1 SD increase in pattern score led to a 1.20 point increase in IQ (95% CI 0.52 to 1.88; p=0.001).
Conclusion There is evidence that a poor diet associated with high fat, sugar and processed food content in early childhood may be associated with small reductions in IQ in later childhood, while a healthy diet, associated with high intakes of nutrient rich foods described at about the time of IQ assessment may be associated with small increases in IQ.
