BTN News: Eating well as a child and in middle age can help your brain work better when you are older, says a study from the UK.
Overview of the Study on Diet and Cognitive Performance Across Decades
The study comes from the 1946 British Birth Cohort. Researchers looked at over 3,000 people. They checked what they ate and how their brains worked from ages four to 70. They found that people who ate more vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains, and less salt, sugar, and refined grains, had better brain function over time.
Main Findings of the Study on Diet and Cognitive Abilities
- Diet Quality and Brain Performance: Among people with good brain function, 36% ate healthy diets, while only 8% ate poorly. Of those with poor brain function, 58% ate poorly, and only 7% ate healthy.
- Early Healthy Eating Habits: Those who started eating healthy early, especially as children and before age 50, saw the most brain benefits.
Researchers Explain the Impact of Early Diet on Lifelong Cognitive Function
Kelly Cara, a nutrition researcher at Tufts University, highlighted the long-term impact of early eating habits. She presented the findings at the American Society for Nutrition’s annual conference in Chicago. Cara said early food choices could affect eating habits for life. She also said that the overall effects of diet over time are linked to brain development.
Broader Implications of the Study on Early Childhood Nutrition and Cognitive Development
Past research shows early childhood is key for brain development. Nutrition plays an important role. The study’s results show that diet has long-term effects. Brain changes that lead to memory loss and dementia can start many years before signs show up. Boushra Dalile, a researcher at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium, studies how food, gut health, and stress connect. Dalile said long-term diet changes might help slow down brain aging.
Need for Future Research to Understand Diet and Brain Health in Different Groups
The authors noted their study looked mostly at white people in the UK. More research is needed to see how food and brain health connect in different groups of people.
Conclusion on the Long-Term Benefits of a Healthy Diet in Childhood
The study shows the big role a healthy diet in childhood can play in brain health later in life. “The main message is to make sure kids eat well—in schools, during their growth, and at home,” Dalile said.
Promoting healthy eating from a young age can help improve brain health and quality of life as people get older.
