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Dietary patterns at age 2 and cognitive performance at ages 6-7: an analysis of the 2015 Pelotas Birth Cohort (Brazil)
The early years of life are critical for cognitive development, with nutrition playing a vital role during this period of rapid brain growth. This study aimed to analyze dietary patterns at age 2 and their correlation with cognitive performance at ages 6-7, utilizing data from the 2015 Pelotas Birth Cohort in Brazil (n = 4275). Dietary intake was evaluated through a habitual consumption questionnaire, and dietary patterns were identified using principal component analysis. Cognitive performance was measured using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (4th edition), which provided intelligence quotient (IQ) scores. Linear regression models were employed to test the associations.
The findings revealed that an unhealthy dietary pattern—characterized by the consumption of packaged snacks, instant noodles, sweets, soft drinks, and processed meats—was significantly negatively associated with IQ (P < 0.001). Further exploratory analyses indicated that early-life deficits, such as low weight, height, or head circumference for age, could exacerbate the adverse effects of an unhealthy diet on cognitive performance (interaction P = 0.020). Specifically, children with high adherence to the unhealthy dietary pattern and early-life deficits experienced a reduction in IQ by 4.78 points (95% CI: −7.06, −2.49), whereas those without early-life deficits had a reduction of 2.24 points (95% CI: −3.35, −1.13), relative to children with low adherence to this dietary pattern, even after controlling for confounding variables. Conversely, no significant associations were observed between a healthy dietary pattern—characterized by beans, baby foods, fruits, vegetables, and natural fruit juices—and IQ scores. These results underscore the potential cognitive impairments linked to unhealthy dietary practices in early childhood, particularly among children who exhibit early-life deficits. [NPID: Cognitive performance, IQ, dietary pattern, junk food, processed food, cognitive development]
Year: 2026
