Association of ultraprocessed foods consumption and cognitive function among children aged 4-7 years: a cross-sectional data analysis
Liu S, Mo C, Lei L, Lv F, Li J, Xu X, Lu P, Wei G, Huang X, Zeng X, Qiu X
Frontiers in nutrition · 9 citations
Review labels
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How it was studied
- Design
- Cross-sectional study (classified by our AI screen)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
- Intake measured by
- Food frequency questionnaire
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Government
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- University or hospital
- Guangxi Medical University
- Grants
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (AB17195012); National Natural Science Foundation of China (82160623); National Natural Science Foundation of China (81460517)
Based on 2 listed funder(s) and full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2023-10-10 · Front Nutr · vol. 10 · p. 1272126
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media
- Cited
- 16 citations · more than 94% of similar papers · 3.7× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 47 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Keywords
- Cross-sectional study, Cognition, Association (psychology), Environmental health, Consumption (sociology), Psychology, Medicine, Psychiatry
11 authors
From CN
- Shun Liu · correspondingGuangxi Medical University
- Caimei MoGuangxi Medical University
- Lidi LeiGuangxi Medical University
- Fangfang LvGuangxi Medical University
- Jinxiu LiGuangxi Medical University
- Xuemei XuGuangxi Medical University
Abstract
Background
Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption has shown associations with cognitive function in preschool children, but effects of other ultraprocessed foods consumption are rarely discussed in China. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between ultraprocessed food consumption and cognitive function among preschool children in China.
Methods
A total of 325 children aged 4-7 years were included from Guangxi Zhuang Birth Cohort in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. Face-to-face interviews with parents using the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) was conducted to investigate the status of seven ultraprocessed foods consumption (i.e., chocolate, biscuits, candy, fast-food, ice cream, SSBs, and sweet bakery products). The mandarin-language version of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI, Fourth Edition) was applied to assess the cognitive function of children. Multiple linear and logistic regression models were used to assess the associations between ultraprocessed food consumption and the full-scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) and different domains and risk of cognitive deficit, respectively.
Results
We found that frequent consumption of candy (β = -3.34, 95% CI: -5.62∼-1.06; p = 0.004) and sweet bakery products (β = -2.77, 95% CI: -5.58∼0.04; p = 0.054) were significant associated with decreased FSIQ scores in the linear regression models. However, only frequent consumption of candy was statistically significantly associated with an increased risk of cognitive deficit (OR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.11∼3.79; p = 0.023) in the logistic regression models. For the different domains, we found frequent consumption of candy (β = -3.85, 95% CI: -6.28∼-1.43; p = 0.002) and sweet bakery products (β = -3.48, 95% CI: -6.47∼-0.49; p = 0.023) was also significantly associated with lower Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI). When combining the seven ultraprocessed foods, we found children who frequently consumed more than two kinds of ultraprocessed foods had a significant decrease of VCI scores (β = -2.66; 95% CI: -5.12∼-0.19; p = 0.035) too.
Conclusion
Our results suggested that frequent consumption of individual (candy and sweet bakery products) and multiple ultraprocessed foods may decrease VCI scores and thereby impact cognitive function in children aged 4-7 years.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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