Doha: Researchers from the University of Illinois and the Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil: found that dietary patterns at age two may influence cognitive performance at ages six and seven.

According to Qatar News Agency, the study, published in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, tracked thousands of children from birth and assessed their diets at age two alongside later cognitive tests.

Two main dietary patterns emerged from the study: a healthy pattern including beans, fruits, vegetables, natural baby foods, and fresh juices, and an unhealthy pattern with processed snacks, biscuits, sweets, sodas, sausages, and processed meats. Children following the unhealthy pattern scored lower on intelligence tests, even after adjusting for socioeconomic and family factors.

The effects of these dietary patterns were strongest in biologically vulnerable children, such as those with low weight, height, or head circumference in early life. This finding highlights the cumulative impact of nutrition and biological factors on cognitive development.

The study suggests that poor-quality diets may affect brain development through mechanisms such as chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and changes in the gut-brain axis.