How lifestyle factors affect cognitive and executive function and the ability to learn in children

This 2019 thematic review aimed to provide an overview of the current knowledge of the connection between the lifestyle factors diet, physical activity and sleep hygiene with cognition and learning in children. There are cells or animal research available which suggest a number of possible physiological pathways, however, there was a significant gap in knowledge on lifestyle factors and optimal learning in children. Jirout et. al (2019) highlight that current knowledge on predictors of optimal cognition and learning is incomplete, and likely lacks understanding of many critical facts and relationships, their interactions, and the nature of their relationships, such as there being mediating or confounding factors that could provide important knowledge to increase the efficacy of learning-focused interventions. While there is focus on childcare and school feeding policies, this review aims to call attention to how child development could be supported using a more holistic approach. [NPID: performance, academic achievement, physical activity, sleep hygiene, learning, sleep, childcare, school feeding policies, child development]

Year: 2019

Reference: Jirout, J., LoCasale-Crouch, J., Turnbull, K., Gu, Y., Cubides, M., Garzione, S., Evans, T. M., Weltman, A. L., & Kranz, S. (2019). How Lifestyle Factors Affect Cognitive and Executive Function and the Ability to Learn in Children. Nutrients, 11(8), 1953. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11081953

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