medigraphic.com
ISSN 0035-0052 (Print)

2006, Number 2

<< Back Next >>

Rev Mex Pediatr 2006; 73 (2)

Selective attention and short term memory in school children, according to its breakfast´s energy

Cruz OJL, Vega FL, Iñárritu MC, Robles MB

Language: Spanish
References: 19
Page: 51-59
PDF size: 67.25 Kb.


ABSTRACT

Objective. To study if the energy provided by the breakfast could be associated to the cognitive performance in children.
Material and methods. School children, who attended to the first grade in two elementary schools were studied: 185 from high socioeconomic condition (CSEA), and 84 from families of low socioeconomic condition (CSEB). They were evaluated by selective attention and short term memory tests, its somatometric measurements were taken and the intake of energy provided by the breakfast was stimated. Parents were interviewed for factors related to the family and teachers were requested in regard the children qualification on their school performance.
Results. Although the families didn’t show extreme discrepancies in their socioeconomic condition, the CSEB children had lower scores in memory, selective attention, and visomotor coordination. They were in good nutrition, but, in comparison to those of CSEA, children of CSEB had lower scores in the cognitive tests. The same finding was observed in the teacher qualification of school performance and in relation to the family climate: children of the CSEB families had low cognitive scores and higher frequency of family conflicts.
Conclusions. Findings suggest that the energy of breakfast and some variables of the family environment should be controlled in this type of studies.


REFERENCES

  1. Pollit E, Mathews R. Breakfast an cognition: an integrative summary. 1998; 67(Supl): 804S-13S.

  2. López I, de Andraca I, Perales CG, Heresi E, Castillo M, Colombo M. Breakfast omission and cognitive performance of normal, wasted and stunted schoolchildren. Eur J Nutr 1993; 47: 533-42.

  3. Simeon DT. School feeding in Jamaica: a review of its evaluation. Am J Clin Nutr 1998; 67(Suppl): 790S-4S.

  4. Simeon DT, Grantham-McGregor S. Effects of missing breakfast on the cognitive functions of school children of differing nutritional status. Am J Clin Nutr 1989; 49: 646-53.

  5. Jacoby E, Cueto S, Pollit E. Benefits of a school breakfast program among Andean children in Huaraz, Peru. Food Nutr Bull 1996; 17: 54-64.

  6. Vera NJA, Domínguez ISE, Peña RMO, Montiel CMM. Evaluación de los efectos de un programa de desayunos escolares en atención y memoria. Arch Latinamer Nutr 2000; 50: 35-41.

  7. Gold PE. Role of glucose in regulating the brain and cognition. Am J Clin Nutr 1995; 61(Suppl): 957s-95s.

  8. Korol D. Enhancing cognitive function across the life span. Ann NY Sci 2002; 959: 167-179.

  9. Benton D, Parker PY. Breakfast, blood glucose, and cognition. Am J Clin Nutr 1995; 67(Suppl): 772S-8S.

  10. Wesnes KA, Pincock C, Richardson D, Helm G, Hails S. Breakfast reduces declines in attention and memory over the morning in children. Appetite 2003; 41: 329-31.

  11. Pollit E, Cueto S, Jacoby ER. Fasting and cognition in well and undernourished schoolchildren: a review of three experimental studies. Am J Clin Nutr 1998; 67(Suppl): 779S-84S.

  12. Fischer K, Colombani PC, Langhans W, Wenk C. Cognitive performance and its relationship with postprandial metabolic changes after ingestion of different macronutriments in the morning. Br J Nutr 2001; 85: 393-405.

  13. Fischer K, Colombani PC, Langhans W, Wenk C. Carbohydrate to protein ratio in food and cognitive performance in the morning. Physiol Behav 2002; 75: 411-23.

  14. Wechler D. WISC-RM. Escala de inteligencia revisada para nivel escolar (Manual MP 36-1). México, D.F: El Manual Moderno. 1984.

  15. Stambak M. La prueba de punteado. En: Zazzo R. Manual para el examen psicológico del niño. Buenos Aires: Editorial Kapelusz. 1963: 251-64.

  16. Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública. Encuesta Nacional de Nutrición 1999. Tomo III. Niños en edad escolar. Cuernavaca, Morelos: INSP 2000.

  17. Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición, Salvador Zubirán. Resultados de la encuesta urbana de alimentación y nutrición en la Zona Metropolitana de la Ciudad de México, 2002. México, D.F: INCMSZ. 2003.

  18. Frongillio EA, de Onis M, Hanson KMP. Socioeconomic and demographic factors are associated with worldwilde patterns of stunting an wasting of children. J Nutr 1997; 127: 2302-9.

  19. Boey C, Omar A, Arul PJ. Correlation among academic performance, recurrent abdominal pain and others factors in year-6 urban primary-school children in Malaysia. J Pediatr Child Health 2003; 39(5): 352-57.




2020     |     www.medigraphic.com