Cognition Intervention Study Dortmund- Continued (Coco)

Research Institute of Child Nutrition, Dortmund

Status: Completed

Conditions: Cognitive Function

Treatments: Other: Skipping lunch/having lunch; Other: Having lunch/skipping lunch

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02344056

RIChildNutrition

Details and patient eligibility

About

The Cognition Intervention Study Dortmund (CogniDo) and the Cognition Intervention Study Dortmund PLUS (CogniDo PLUS) investigated the short-term effects of having school lunch versus skipping it on children's basal (CogniDo) and executive (CogniDo PLUS) cognitive functions in the afternoon. The present Coco study connect this two previous studies and investigates the effect of having school lunch versus skipping it on children's basal and executive cognitive functions later in the afternoon.

Full description

Because of cerebral particularities, children may react highly sensitive to variations of nutrient supply. Therefore, an optimised composition of meals at favourable mealtime should be considered for optimal cognitive performance. The increasing implementation of all-day schools in Germany requires the children's catering for lunch at school. However, the number of 'meal skippers' is increasing among children and adolescents. Thus, the effect of skipping lunch at school on cognitive functioning is examined in this experimental cross-over trial. As prior intake of food can have an influence on the physiological effect of test meal, the children's dietary intake in the mid-morning is standardized. The intervention is integrated in everyday school life:

9.15 a.m. standardized snack within the frame of the regular break, 9.45 a.m. to 12.25 p.m. everyday school life, 12.25 p.m. either lunch (control) or water as a beverage (intervention of 'skipping meal'), 12.45 p.m. to 1.15 p.m. regular lunch break, 1.15 p.m. to 14.10 p.m. regular school lesson. 14.15 p.m. computerized tests of executive cognitive and basal (alertness) functioning, 3 p.m. lunch for the 'skipping meal'-group. Parameters of cognition with relevance to everyday school life are measured by a computerized test program developed by the Institute of Working Learning and Aging (ALA). Usual eating behaviour, sleep behaviour, physical activity and parental education were determined as control variables by questionnaires for children, parents.

Enrollment: 154 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 10 to 14 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• All fifth and sixth grade students of Gesamtschule Berger Feld with the consent of parents and child

Exclusion criteria

• Metabolic diseases or special diet

Trial design

154 participants in 2 patient groups

having lunch/skipping lunch

Experimental group

Description:

Lunch ad libitum on test day 1 and no lunch on test day 2. Water at libitum was constantly available on both days.

Treatment:

Other: Having lunch/skipping lunch

skipping lunch/having lunch

Experimental group

Description:

no lunch on test day 1 and lunch ad libitum on test day 2. Water at libitum was constantly available on both days.

Treatment:

Other: Skipping lunch/having lunch