Young child's diet could affect IQ later in life, study finds

By Staff Writer

A new study reveals that young children who have diets that are high in fat, sugar and processed foods may be more likely to struggle in school than kids who have healthier eating habits.

The findings, which appear in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, were based on the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, which tracks the long-term health of about 14,000 children who were born in 1991 and 1992. Researchers identified three dietary patterns: processed, traditional and health conscious.

Processed diets consist of foods that are high in fat and sugars. Traditional is high in meat and vegetable intake, while health conscious is high in salad, fruit, vegetables, rice and pasta. Researchers measured diet patterns when the children turned 3, 4, 7 and 8 years old.

The team discovered that a predominately processed food diet at age 3 led to a lower IQ when the children turned 8, compared to participants who had traditional and healthy diets. Furthermore, a healthy diet at age 3 was associated with a higher IQ at age 8, compared to individuals who fell into the traditional category.

Adolescents who struggle academically may benefit from wilderness therapy programs, which are designed to provide help for troubled teens.