339) Breast milk DHA makes a highly significant contribution to math scores (β = 0.462, P = 0.006), greater in magnitude than the control variables of per capita Gross Domestic Product (PCGDP) and educational expenditures per pupil. |
PMID:23795772 DOI:10.1111/mcn.12060 |
2015 Maternal & child nutrition |
* Maternal milk DHA content predicts cognitive performance in a sample of 28 nations. |
- Convergent evidence from neuronal biology and hominin brain hypertrophy suggests that omega-3 fatty acids are a limiting resource for neural and cognitive development in Homo sapiens, and therefore that children from populations with higher omega-3 availability should display superior cognitive performance. Using multiple regression, we tested this prediction in a sample of 28 countries, with Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) math scores in 2009 as an index of cognitive performance, and country-specific breast milk levels of omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as an index of omega-3 availability. Breast milk DHA makes a highly significant contribution to math scores (β = 0.462, P = 0.006), greater in magnitude than the control variables of per capita Gross Domestic Product (PCGDP) and educational expenditures per pupil. Together, dietary fish (positively) and total fat (negatively) explain 61% of the variance in maternal milk DHA in a larger sample of 39 countries. |
(1)67 differences | (15)5 correlations | (29)3 influence | (44)2 dose-dependent |
(2)40 increase | (16)5 effects | (30)3 negative | (45)2 elevation |
(3)36 difference | (17)5 for | (31)3 number | (46)2 evidence |
(4)28 decrease | (18)5 increases | (32)3 roles | (47)2 factors |
(5)12 reduction | (19)5 risk | (33)2 (P | (48)2 group |
(6)11 predictors | (20)4 effect | (35)2 alterations | (49)2 inhibition |
(7)10 association | (21)4 in | (36)2 and | (50)2 interaction |
(8)9 improvement | (22)4 reductions | (37)2 at | (51)2 morbidity |
(9)8 *null* | (23)4 relationship | (38)2 between-group | (52)2 positive |
(10)7 changes | (24)3 (p | (39)2 blood | (53)2 prediction |
(11)7 predictor | (25)3 alteration | (40)2 challenge | (54)2 proportion |
(12)7 role | (26)3 as | (41)2 contribution | (55)2 source |
(13)6 correlation | (27)3 higher | (42)2 cytotoxic | (56)2 time |
(14)5 associations | (28)3 improvements | (43)2 decreases |
add keyword