Fish consumption in mid-childhood and its relationship to neuropsychological outcomes measured in 7-9 year old children using a NUTRIMENTHE neuropsychological battery.

BACKGROUND: Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA), particularly n-3 LCPUFA, play a central role in neuronal growth and the development of the human brain. Fish is the main dietary source of n-3 LCPUFA. To assess the relation between fish consumption, estimated dietary n-3 LCPUFA intake and cognition and behaviour in childhood in a multi-centre European sample. METHODS: Children from 2 European studies, CHOP and NUHEAL, were assessed at 8 and 7.5 years of age, respectively. Different outcomes of neuropsychological development (assessed with the standardized NUTRIMENTHE Neuropsychological Battery (NNB) consisting of 15 subtests) were related with outcomes from a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) focussing on the consumption of fish. RESULTS: A total of 584 children completed the FFQ and the neuropsychological tests. We found no associations with calculated DHA or EPA intakes for any of the neuropsychological domains. Children who consumed 2 fish meals per week including one of fatty fish, showed no substantive differences in the cognitive domains from the children who did not. However negative associations with fatty fish consumption were found for social problems (p = 0.019), attention problems (p = 0.012), rule-breaking problems (p = 0.019) and aggressive behaviour problems (p = 0.032). No association was observed with internalizing problems. Higher levels of externalizing problems (p = 0.018) and total problems (p = 0.018) were associated with eating less fatty fish. CONCLUSIONS: Children who consumed 2 fish meals per week including one of fatty fish were less likely to show emotional and behavioural problems than those who did not.

Comparison of childhood size and dietary differences at age 4 years between three European countries.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Obesity in childhood is very common in Europe. It may be linked to diet, and intakes of protein and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have been investigated. The study aims to investigate child size and dietary differences at the age of 4 years between three European countries and to assess dietary adequacy. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 161 4-year-old children from Spain, Germany and Hungary, whose mothers participated in a pregnancy micronutrient supplementation trial, were included in this analysis. Child size was assessed by standardised anthropometry and diet calculated from parent-completed food frequency questionnaires. Adequacy of the diet was evaluated using US guidelines. RESULTS: The Spanish children had a higher mean body mass index (BMI) (16.4±1.5) compared with German (15.7±1.0) and Hungarian children (14.9±1.4, P<0.01). In Spanish children, dietary intakes were higher in animal protein density, particularly from dairy foods, were little different in total protein density and slightly lower in n-6 PUFA density compared with the intakes in the other groups. Dietary intakes of most children (% contribution to energy) were higher than those recommended for protein, saturated fat and added sugar. CONCLUSIONS: Spanish children had a higher mean BMI compared with German and Hungarian children. Diets taken by Spanish children may be more obesogenic than those taken by German or Hungarian children. In the present study, many children in all three countries were consuming diets that were high in protein, saturated fat and sugar.