Purpose Diet-related inflammation has been implicated in neurodevelopmental processes, yet evidence linking dietary inflammatory potential to objectively measured cognitive performance in children remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the association between dietary inflammatory potential and cognitive performance—specifically attention, processing speed, executive function, and cognitive flexibility—in school-aged children. Methods A total of 100 community-dwelling children aged 6–11 years were included in this cross-sectional study. Dietary intake data were collected using three-day food records, from which nutrient intakes were analyzed to calculate the Children’s dietary inflammatory index (C-DII) scores. Based on the C-DII scores, participants were categorized into quartiles. Cognitive performance was evaluated using the Children’s color trails test (CCTT), comprising two cognitive domains: CCTT-1 (attention and processing speed) and CCTT-2 (executive function and cognitive flexibility). Associations between C-DII and cognitive outcomes were examined using generalized estimating equation models and ordinary least squares regression models. Results Higher C-DII scores were associated with distinct dietary intake patterns, despite no significant differences in overall dietary quality scores across quartiles. After adjustment for confounding factors, intakes of fruits, fish and shellfish, eggs, legumes, and oils showed significant decreasing trends across increasing C-DII quartiles (all P for trend < 0.05). At the nutrient level, saturated fat intake increased with higher C-DII scores (P for trend < 0.05), while intakes of dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids decreased significantly across quartiles (all P for trend < 0.05). In quartile-based analyses of cognitive outcomes, no individual CCTT metrics showed statistically significant associations with C-DII after false discovery rate correction, and no significant linear trends were observed. However, at the domain level, a significant overall association was observed between C-DII and CCTT-1 performance (domain omnibus P = 0.022), whereas no significant association was found for CCTT-2 (domain omnibus P = 0.057). Conclusion In this exploratory study, dietary inflammatory potential was associated with attention and processing speed at the cognitive domain level in children. These findings suggest that diet-related inflammation may be linked to specific aspects of cognitive performance in children; however, future studies with larger samples using comprehensive cognitive assessments are warranted.

Association between dietary inflammatory potential and cognitive performance in children

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2026年2月7日

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Chong-Su Kim

摘要

Purpose

Diet-related inflammation has been implicated in neurodevelopmental processes, yet evidence linking dietary inflammatory potential to objectively measured cognitive performance in children remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the association between dietary inflammatory potential and cognitive performance—specifically attention, processing speed, executive function, and cognitive flexibility—in school-aged children.

Methods

A total of 100 community-dwelling children aged 6–11 years were included in this cross-sectional study. Dietary intake data were collected using three-day food records, from which nutrient intakes were analyzed to calculate the Children’s dietary inflammatory index (C-DII) scores. Based on the C-DII scores, participants were categorized into quartiles. Cognitive performance was evaluated using the Children’s color trails test (CCTT), comprising two cognitive domains: CCTT-1 (attention and processing speed) and CCTT-2 (executive function and cognitive flexibility). Associations between C-DII and cognitive outcomes were examined using generalized estimating equation models and ordinary least squares regression models.

Results

Higher C-DII scores were associated with distinct dietary intake patterns, despite no significant differences in overall dietary quality scores across quartiles. After adjustment for confounding factors, intakes of fruits, fish and shellfish, eggs, legumes, and oils showed significant decreasing trends across increasing C-DII quartiles (all P for trend < 0.05). At the nutrient level, saturated fat intake increased with higher C-DII scores (P for trend < 0.05), while intakes of dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids decreased significantly across quartiles (all P for trend < 0.05). In quartile-based analyses of cognitive outcomes, no individual CCTT metrics showed statistically significant associations with C-DII after false discovery rate correction, and no significant linear trends were observed. However, at the domain level, a significant overall association was observed between C-DII and CCTT-1 performance (domain omnibus P = 0.022), whereas no significant association was found for CCTT-2 (domain omnibus P = 0.057).

Conclusion

In this exploratory study, dietary inflammatory potential was associated with attention and processing speed at the cognitive domain level in children. These findings suggest that diet-related inflammation may be linked to specific aspects of cognitive performance in children; however, future studies with larger samples using comprehensive cognitive assessments are warranted.