Association between Preschool Children Nutrition and Cognitive Performance

Abstract

The present study is aimed to assess the nutritional status and cognitive performances of some preschool children (57.2-71.39 months). The study was performed on 39children 51% were girls and 49% were boys with a mean age of 53.59±1.85 months. All children from cities Giza government. The obtained data showed that mean valuebody weight, height, body mass index (BMI), and mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) were 16.97±0.26 kg, 101.7±0.98 cm, 16.47±0.21kg/m2, and 14.01±0.33 cm respectively. According to the food intake analysis, the mean value intake of total energy, protein, fat, and carbohydrate was 985.08±32.79 kcal, 33.74±1.12 g, 33.98±1.28g, and 110.96±3.89 g respectively. The mean value intake of some minerals (Iodine, Iron, Selenium, and Zinc) was 81.64±5.49µg, 9.71±0.49 mg, and 42.79±2.67µg and 4.77±0.22 mg respectively. The mean value intake of some vitamins (Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, and Vitamin C) was 273.23±25.57 I.U, 0.45±0.06 mg, 0.49±0.03 mg, and 17.01±1.14mg respectively. Some biochemical analyses showed that the mean value urinary iodine was 159.55±3.08 µg/l, and blood hemoglobin was 11.5±0.10g/dl. The Wechsler tests were done to calculate student IQ, the mean value of verbal IQ was 103.23±1.18, the mean average of performance IQ was 76.23±2.78, and the mean of total IQ was 94.61±0.93. Finally, this study is importance due to the lack of studies in this stage of childhood and so we recommended that to more investigation need to done at this stage of childhood especially with the increasing interest of the Egyptian government in the healthy nutrition of children.