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.

The British journal of nutrition
Q1
Nov 2008
Citations:34
Influential Citations:3
Systematic Reviews / Meta-Analyses
87
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Methods
Systematic in-depth review of controlled trials assessing the effects of nutrition, diet and dietary change on learning, education and performance in school-aged children (4–18 years) from developed countries. Participants included generally healthy children and those with neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., ADHD, dyspraxia). Study designs included randomized controlled trials, cross-over trials, and case-control studies.
Intervention
Regimens across included studies varied: Breakfast interventions (breakfast clubs, habitual vs standardised breakfasts with differing energy/protein contents), short-term sugar exposure (sucrose vs artificial sweeteners; exposures typically 1–2 days to 1 week; some ADHD-related), fish oil supplementation (DHA/EPA-rich oils; multiple formulations and dosages; capsules or foods; durations 2–4 months), and low-dose vitamin/mineral supplementation (dosage not specified; duration several months).
Results
Evidence is insufficient to identify any robust effect of nutrition, diet or dietary change on learning, education or performance in school-aged children from the developed world. There is emerging evidence that certain fatty acids (EPA/DHA) may influence outcomes in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The body of evidence is limited by small samples, short durations, heterogeneity of interventions, and inconsistent outcome measures, with a need for high-quality, longer-term UK-based research using universal validated educational measures. In parallel, promoting a healthy overall diet (lower fat, salt and sugar; higher intake of fruits/vegetables/complex carbohydrates) and physical activity remains clearly beneficial for health outcomes.
Limitations
Small sample sizes and short durations; heterogeneity of interventions and outcome measures; limited control for habitual diet, physical activity, and family/context factors; many studies included participants with ADHD/dyspraxia; limited UK data and cross-country comparability; few studies with power calculations; varying study quality and methodologies.

Abstract

The aim of the present review was to perform a systematic in-depth review of the best evidence from controlled trial studies that have investigated the effects of nutrition, diet and dietary change on learning, education and performance in school-age...