In 2024, Chilean scientists reported their findings on some pretty interesting research. They investigated the correlation between adolescent academic achievement and eating style. The researchers studied over a thousand kids between the age of ten and fourteen.
A portion of the kids enjoyed something akin to a balanced and healthy Mediterranean diet. When they used oil, it was most likely to be extra-virgin olive oil. They packed their plates with boatloads of vegetables, fruits, cereals, nuts, and legumes. They ate plenty of protein, but didn’t go overboard with animal based proteins such as fish, other meats or dairy products. They kept their intake of eggs and sweets to a minimum.
Another group of the kids had what most of us in the scientific community would call a crappy diet. They binged on candies and sweets. They overloaded on sugar, including high-sugar drinks. When they deigned to swallow a grain, it was refined. They eschewed the natural, devouring ultra-processed foods instead.
The scientists discovered that those adolescents who enjoyed a salutary diet excelled in the classroom, too. They were head and shoulders above their crappy diet peers in the domains of problem solving, reasoning ability, memory and inhibitory control. Their report cards reflected their cognitive superiority. The kids who feasted on the Mediterranean type diet had significantly better grades than their peers in science, history, language arts and mathematics.
It shouldn’t be any surprise that dietary style has an outsized effect on teenage cognition. After all, teenagers' brains, although adult sized, still have a lot of developing to do:
First of all, there’s myelination. Myelin is a fatty substance. It surrounds axons (nerve cables) and prevents leakage of electric signals. Without myelin, the nerves would short circuit all over the brain. Consuming foods that help maintain phospholipid balance are essential to healthy cell membranes and proper myelination. Healthy myelin leads to healthy white matter, which, in turn, leads to superior connectivity between brain regions
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Second of all, there’s pruning. Early in childhood, the neurons (brain cells) make lots and lots of connections. Think of a forest canopy with all the tree branches intertwined. As kids enter the teen years, some of those connections need to be pruned back to increase efficiency, which manifests as clarity of thinking and ability to acquire essential life skills (so they won’t be in your basement until they’re thirty). This process requires a lot of cerebral blood flow. That’s where a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acid (found in oily fish, walnuts and other stuff) and polyphenols (abundant in colorful berries amongst other things) comes in.
Besides all that, too much sugar is poison (not just for the brain, but for the whole body). High blood sugar levels cause chronic low-grade systemic inflammation. Too much brain glucose (sugar), coupled with persistent inflammation, increases the likelihood of hippocampal (area of brain responsible for memory formation) damage and atrophy (wasting away) of the cerebral prefrontal cortex (executive area of brain).
Some scientists have even gone so far as to say, “Since brain glucose dysregulation is correlated with so much brain damage, why don’t we just start calling Alzheimer’s Disease: ‘Diabetes type 3.’”
Want to learn more about other stuff (including why breakfast is the most important meal of your kid’s day) that can help your kid’s brain? Check out https://brain2mind.substack.com/p/protect-your-kids-brain
It's a miracle I survived the sweet tea, pies and cakes I consumed growing up in the deep south. The only food I really miss from those days is the fried chicken. Not at all politically correct, but what a taste it was.
Reverse engineer the BRIGHT MINDS diet by Daniel Amen for the beginning, middle and end of life. You can't go wrong. This gave me confirmation bias for sure. Thanks for writing and putting this out.