Healthy eating is linked to better reading skills in the first three years of school, according to the results of a study published in the medical journal European Journal of Nutrition.
University researchers from two Finnish universities conducted a study with 161 children aged 6 to 8, attending grades 1 to 2.
The study showed that children whose diets were rich in vegetables, fruits, berries, whole grains, fish and unsaturated fats and low in sweet products, performed better on tests to measure reading skills than children who ate less balanced diets.
“Another important observation is that the associations of diet quality with reading skills were also independent of many confounding factors, such as socioeconomic status, physical activity, body fat and physical fitness. ”Says Eero Haapala from the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Jyväskylä.
Promote a balanced diet
A balanced diet appears to be an important factor in supporting children’s learning and school activity. By making healthy choices for each meal, it is possible to promote healthy eating and improve the quality of nutrition over the long term. Parents and schools have an important role in the composition of menus. In addition, governments and businesses should play a key role in promoting the availability and production of healthy foods.
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