Okay… I know the so-called IQ Test has been debunked as a measure of intelligence. But current, modern cognition and problem-solving tests confirm that kids who ate UPFs at age 2 scored sig-nificantly lower in later life…
A new study published in the January edition of the British Journal of Nutrition reported that kids who ate more UPFs at age 2 scored significantly lower at age 6 – 7 in current, valid tests of cognition and reasoning than those who did not consumer UPFs.
The findings, “add to growing global evidence that early childhood nutrition — particularly exposure to ultra-processed foods — may play a meaningful role in shaping brain development.” The research-ers explained in a statement.
A little history…
Just last week, we reported on a survey that found more than 7 out of 10 baby and toddler foods on North American supermarket shelves can be classified as UPFs.
And in the most recent Sunday Musings post, we asked whether baby food makers should be forced to make their products healthier.
What they did
Researchers data-mined long-scale information from the the 2015 Pelotas Birth Cohort in an effort to better understand how children’s dietary patterns affect their cognitive performance. The Pelotas Cohort project was described as, ‘one of the most comprehensive long-running population studies in Latin America’, which followed thousands of children from birth.”
According to a report in Food & Wine, “The team explained they didn’t focus on individual foods or nutrients; instead, they looked at ‘overall’ patterns, which they split into two groups.
“The first group was labeled ‘healthy’ and included beans, fruits, vegetables, baby foods, and natural fruit juices. The other was labelled ‘unhealthy’ and consisted of snacks, instant noodles, sweet bis-cuits, candies, soft drinks, sausages, and processed meats.”
What they found
“They found that children who more closely aligned with the ‘unhealthy’ pattern at age two scored lower on IQ tests at ages six to seven.”
Why?
The team didn’t test for it, so they don’t know. They couldn’t have even predicted they would discover the connection. However, Flores cited other research which showed that, “Diets of poor nutritional quality, particularly those high in ultra-processed foods, may interfere with neurodevelopmental processes through mechanisms involving systemic inflammation, oxidative stress and alterations in the gut-brain axis.”
The takeaway
The study report authors also found that the results were ‘especially concerning’ for children already classified as biologically vulnerable, F&W notes. Meaning that they had ‘early-life deficits’ in weight, height, or head circumference. The authors characterized this as part of a ‘cumulative disadvantage’.
My take
If the main ‘news’ about babies and UPFs wasn’t alarming enough, Flores points out that, “Consider-ing the worldwide dissemination and higher prevalence of ultra-processed foods, I think so.”
This study, and the independent one we reported on last week, about the staggering amount of UPF-classified baby food on our supermarket shelves, should be more than enough to move parents to action. Providing greater oversight, and participating more directly in their kids’ eating activities.
The real question is, will governments be moved to regulate UPF makers, to ensure coming generations grow up safe – and sound?
~ Maggie J.