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Association between dairy intake and executive function in Chinese children aged 6–12 years
In this study by Zeng et al. (2022), the authors investigated the contentious links between executive function and the dietary intake of dairy products (full- or low-fat, milk or yogurt) in a population of 5138 children (6-12 years of age). Executive function was evaluated using the parent version of the behavior rating inventory of executive function (BRIEF, where lower scores correlate with higher executive function), while dairy consumption was evaluated using validated dietary questionnaires. Analysis of the results revealed an overall improvement in executive function domains with increased dairy consumption, and that this association was statistically substantial. A more detailed look revealed an improvement in Shift performance and Initiate performance (with the intake of full-fat dairy), Working memory, and Organization of Materials (with the intake of low-fat dairy). Yogurt, however, was not associated with any improvement in executive function. The authors conclude that their study demonstrates the beneficial impact of milk consumption on executive function in children and that this effect is not dependent on the fat content. [NPID: Executive function, dairy consumption, milk, yogurt, children, school, dietary intake, Shift, Initiate, Working memory, Organization of Materials]
Year: 2022
