Diet and lifestyle factors associated with cognitive performance in college students

Pilato, Ilana; Beezhold, Bonnie; Radnitz, Cynthia L.

doi:10.1080/07448481.2020.1847118

Cited by 5 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Overall, our study found no correlation between lifestyle behaviors and markers of academic achievements (Table 3). Previous studies have highlighted the importance of adopting healthy lifestyles on academic achievements [32,64]. The observed minimal variation in the markers of academic achievement may have been behind the inability to detect a significant association with the varied component of lifestyle behaviors.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The association between academic performance indicators and lifestyle behaviors among Kuwaiti college students

Al-Haifi

Alawadhi

Bumaryoum

et al. 2023

J Health Popul Nutr

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Background Lifestyle behaviors are developed during young adulthood and carried through life. Accordingly, early detection of unhealthy behaviors can help prevent the increase in non-communicable diseases in the population. College students are an especially vulnerable group who, upon entering a new environment, tend to engage in unhealthy behaviors. Objective The present study aims to evaluate the lifestyle behaviors of Kuwaiti college students and their association with markers of academic achievements. Methods One thousand two hundred fifty-nine students participated in the present study and answered an online questionnaire pertaining to their sociodemographic status, academic performance indicators, body weight and height, and lifestyle behaviors. Data were collected from November 2020 to February 2021. Results Results of the present study showed that obesity was significantly more prevalent among male participants than among females even though males were more physically active. Alternatively, females had a greater grade point average in college, slept more, and had more screen time. Interestingly, we were unable to detect a significant correlation between lifestyle behaviors and academic achievements. Conclusion The observed differences in body mass index between genders may have been attributed to energy intake rather than energy expenditure.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The association between academic performance indicators and lifestyle behaviors among Kuwaiti college students

Al-Haifi

Alawadhi

Bumaryoum

et al. 2023

J Health Popul Nutr

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“…In addition to being associated with increased weight and more prevalence of health problems [62], higher fast food consumption correlated with lower executive function and visual memory capacity in university students [63].…”

Section: Fast Food Intakementioning

confidence: 95%

Dietary Habits and Gaming Behaviors of Portuguese and Brazilian Esports Players

Ribeiro,

Teixeira,

Poínhos

2023

Nutrients

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As the esports industry grows, marketing campaigns for fast food, soft drinks, alcoholic and energy drinks, and dietary supplements at related events intensify. Portuguese and Brazilian esports players’ dietary patterns remain unexplored. This study aimed to characterize the dietary and gaming habits of esports players. We applied an anonymous, open online survey to a convenience sample of esports players that included the PREDIMED and the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale. The survey was shared through email and social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Discord, WhatsApp, and Twitch. The sample (n = 579) was predominantly male (91.4%), averaged 26.1 (SD = 7.0) years, and 25.9 (SD = 5.5) kg/m2. Most reported a weak (53.7%) adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Almost a third (32.3%) consumed dietary supplements. Our sample presented a low adhesion to the Mediterranean dietary pattern, low consumption of fruit and vegetables, and high consumption of fast food, red and processed meat, soft drinks, and dietary supplements, including caffeine-based supplements. Dietary supplement consumption was related to a higher adhesion to the Mediterranean diet, and a higher level of professionalization and internet gaming disorder correlated with a lower adhesion. In conclusion, we infer that Portuguese and Brazilian esports players follow an unbalanced diet.

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“…The most recent theories suggest that these well-balanced diets reduce inflammation and/or oxidative stress and protect levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Frisardi et al, 2010). In contrast, diets defined by high intake of fat, salt and sugar increase the likelihood of insulin resistance and have been identified as a leading cause of cognitive dysfunction (Allen et al, 2004;Fu et al, 2017;Pilato et al, 2020). These studies raise the possibility that particular habitual diets can protect against cognitive decline and may also be important for optimal cognitive development.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The most promising individual nutritional markers related to improving cognitive function/efficiency and mental health have been supplementation with either vitamin D (Azzam et al, 2015;Focker et al, 2017;Przybelski & Binkley, 2007;Hajiluian et al, 2017) or omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (Patrick & Ames, 2015;Richardson et al, 2012;Sinn et al, 2010). Recent large scale replication studies have indicated that nutritional supplementation with omega-3 (PUFA) does not alter executive functions (Montgomery et al, 2018), although the correlation between eating fish (a primary source of omega 3 PUFA) and educational attainment remains (Pilato et al, 2020;Teisen et al, 2020). Taken together, whole diet or food quality assessments are likely to reveal larger impacts on intellectual development, mental health, behavioural problems and educational performance in children than single markers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Identifying a nutrient or food that will improve educational attainment and cognitive performance is laudable, but data indicate that a poor diet, defined by high intakes of fat, salt and sugar made up from a combination of foods, is associated with poor cognitive performance (Naveed et al, 2020) and neurobiological deficits (Stadterman et al, 2020). Observational studies have concluded that diets defined by processed foods (Wiles et al, 2009) or skipping meals (Lien, 2007) were associated with behavioural problems (Øverby & Høigaard, 2012) and poor cognitive performance (Pilato et al, 2020). However, "correlation is not causation" and it is important to determine whether these poor dietary patterns directly cause the associations observed, or are simply acting as markers of other factors (such as SES, for example).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Adolescents’ dietary habits and meal patterns influence school performance in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986: mendelian randomisation study

Zagkos

Drenos

Emmett

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Several observational studies indicate that dietary habits in children and adolescents are associated with school performance. These associations are heavily confounded by socio-economic characteristics, such as household income and parents' educational attainment, amongst other factors. In this study, we report observational and causal effects of habitual diet on school performance, using individual level data for 9,220 adolescents in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986. For this purpose, we derived principal components for the dietary variables, meal patterns and school performance variables. The observational study showed a significant association of consumption of foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) with poor performance in all school subjects, and an association of consumption of healthy foods and traditional foods with good school performance in general subjects, science and physical education (PE). Moreover, a positive association was observed between not skipping breakfast and good performance in all school subjects. Mendelian randomisation analysis confirmed a negative effect of HFSS on school performance in general/science subjects (-0.080, -0.128 to -0.033) and a positive effect of healthy food on school performance in general/science subjects (0.071, 0.024 to 0.119) and PE (0.065, 0.021 to 0.110). To conclude, we identified compelling evidence that HFSS foods and healthy foods were causally affecting school performance.

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Diet and lifestyle factors associated with cognitive performance in college students

Cited by 5 publications

References 53 publications

The association between academic performance indicators and lifestyle behaviors among Kuwaiti college students

The association between academic performance indicators and lifestyle behaviors among Kuwaiti college students

Dietary Habits and Gaming Behaviors of Portuguese and Brazilian Esports Players

Adolescents’ dietary habits and meal patterns influence school performance in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986: mendelian randomisation study

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