Abstract / Summary
Abstract Background Active cheese consumption has been reported to prevent and improve cognitive decline in older people. However, no studies have examined the association between cheese and neurodevelopment in infants and young children, especially in large populations. The development of brain function is particularly pronounced during childhood, with the presence or absence of developmental delays becoming clear at approximately 3 years of age. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the association between the frequency of cheese intake at 1 year of age and neurodevelopment at 3 years of age. Methods This birth cohort study used data from a nationwide, government-funded study called the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS), covering 70,316 mother–child pairs. Children’s cheese intake was categorized into three groups based on mothers’ responses: < 1 time/week, 1–2 times/week, or ≥ 3 times/week. Children’s neurodevelopment was evaluated using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires-3 across five domains: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem-solving, and personal-social. Results In all five Ages and Stages Questionnaires-3 domains, cheese consumption > 1 time/week at age 1 year significantly reduced the risk of neurodevelopmental delay at age 3 years, compared to consumption < 1 time/week. Conclusions Active consumption of cheese at age 1 year is associated with a reduced risk of neurodevelopmental delay at age 3 years.