Cognition Intervention Study Dortmund- Glycemic Index (CogniDo GI) (CogniDo-GI)

Research Institute of Child Nutrition, Dortmund

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Cognitive Function

Treatments: Other: Dietary: low GI lunch; Other: Dietary: high GI lunch

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02763371

COG0416DO

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 The Cognition Intervention Study Dortmund Continued (Coco) connected 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. The present study the Cognition Intervention Study Dortmund- Glycemic Index (CogniDo GI) examines the influence of the gylcemic index of lunch on cognitive performance of school children in the afternoon.

Full description

Glucose is the main fuel of the human brain. However, which impact the glycemic index of lunch has on cognitive performance is not clear. A recently published review by Philippou and Constantinou suggested cautiously that a low-GI meal may favor cognitive functions in adults, but note that their findings are inconclusive due to differences in study design, study sample (e.g. size, age), time of testing and the cognitive domain being examined. Because of cerebral particularities, children may react highly sensitive to variations of glycose 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.

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. lunch with a high GI-rice or a low GI-rice and a water beverage, 12.45 p.m. to 13.15 p.m. regular lunch break, 13.15 p.m. computerized tests of executive cognitive and basal (alertness) functioning.

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: 200 estimated 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

200 participants in 2 patient groups

Dietary: high GI lunch

Experimental group

Description:

High GI-rice lunch ad libitum on test day 1 and low GI-rice lunch on test day 2. Water at libitum was constantly available on both days.

Treatment:

Other: Dietary: high GI lunch

Dietary: low GI lunch

Experimental group

Description:

Low GI-rice lunch ad libitum on test day 1 and high GI-rice lunch on test day 2. Water at libitum was constantly available on both days.

Treatment:

Other: Dietary: low GI lunch