In children, positive social behaviors are more numerous when the diet is balanced.
It is common to hear about the harmful consequences of junk food. We focus less on the benefits of balanced nutrition. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania observed children’s social behaviors, and found that those who ate a good diet were more resourceful than the rest.
The study, published in Maternal & Child Nutrition, covered 1,795 Mauritian children aged three years. American researchers focused on markers of poor nutritional health: anemia, linked to a lack of iron, angular stomatitis (which manifests as injuries to the corners of the lips) attributed to a lack of vitamin B2, and lack of protein intake which is characterized by lower count and discoloration of the hair.
In parallel, the researchers observed the social behaviors of these same children: their ability to make friends and play, their level of verbalization and their ability to explore their environment. On these points, the children without any deficiency performed much better.
Better fed, better armed
“It’s really important to promote good nutrition early on,” explains Jianghong Liu, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania and author of the study. Not only does it directly improve children’s cognitive functions, but importantly, it also promotes positive social behavior. “
An essential point for brain and intellectual development. In the same study, American scientists also showed that children with positive behaviors at this age had a higher IQ eight years later.
Double interest for parents who want their child to develop his intellectual faculties, food is a good lever. For those who did not consider that it was essential, do not panic, estimates Professor Liu: “It is never too late to provide good nutrients”, estimates it. It’s never too early either!
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