Associations Between Nutrient Intake and Cognitive Performance Across Multiple Domains in Healthy School-Aged Children

Background and objective: Evidence regarding dietary intake of specific macronutrients, dietary fiber, and fatty acids in relation to cognitive performance during school age remains limited. We examined these associations among healthy Arab children in Israel.

Methods

This cross-sectional analysis included 146 children aged 10–12 years from a prospective cohort. Dietary intake was assessed using a single 24 h dietary recall. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Arabic version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition. Full-scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) was the primary outcome, whereas verbal comprehension (VCI), perceptual reasoning (PRI), working memory (WMI), and processing speed (PSI) indices were exploratory secondary outcomes. Multivariable linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, village, socioeconomic status, and total energy intake.