Relation of intelligence quotient and body mass index in preschool children: a community-based cross-sectional study

Family screening for neurodevelopmental problems and its associations with child cognitive function enable tailored treatment for childhood obesity

AIM

To identify neurodevelopmental disorders in children with obesity, and investigate associations to cognitive functions as well as parents' self-reported neurodevelopmental problems.

METHODS

Eighty children were included at two outpatient obesity clinics in Sweden 2018-2019. Of these, 50 children without previously diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorders were screened, and so were their parents. Children who screened positive for neurodevelopmental problems were referred to a specialised psychiatry unit for further diagnosis. Test results of cognitive functioning were compared with the norm and between study groups by neurodevelopmental diagnoses.

RESULTS

Of the screened families, 17/50 children were diagnosed by the psychiatric unit with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and 15/82 parents screened positive for neurodevelopmental problems. Having a mother who screened positive for neurodevelopmental problems was associated with child ADHD (p < 0.05). The children's full-scale intelligence quotient (92.86 ± 12.01, p < 0.001) and working memory index (90.62 ± 12.17, p < 0.001) were lower than the norm. Working memory index was lower in children with ADHD compared to without ADHD: 84.76 ± 9.58 versus 94.09 ± 12.29 (p ≤ 0.01). Executive constraints were associated with verbal deviances.

CONCLUSION

Increased awareness is needed about the overlap between neurodevelopmental problems and obesity in obesity clinics.

The relationship between food habits and physical activity and the IQ of primary school children

BACKGROUND

Children's intelligence quotient (IQ) is influenced by various environmental and genetic variables. The current study aimed to determine how children's dietary choices and physical activity levels correlated with their IQ.

METHODS

A total of 190 students (111 girls and 79 boys) between the ages of 8 and 10 were chosen randomly for this cross-sectional research. For all children, questionnaires were utilized to gather information on their anthropometry, socio-economic position, food habits, and 24-h memory. Children's physical activity questionnaire (CPAQ) was also used to gauge their level of physical activity. Raven's color progressive intelligence test was also used to gauge children's IQ. All the questions may be filled out online with the assistance of parents. SPSS software was used to gather and evaluate the generated data.

RESULTS

Of 190 respondents, 79 (41.6%) are males, and 111 (58.4%) are girls. The results of the study showed that, a positive correlation between children's IQ and physical activity (P = 0.017, r = 0.17), if this relationship was not seen by gender. In addition, a positive correlation was observed between the IQ and food habits scores in all children (P = 0.001, r = 0.24), as well as by gender, that is, male (P = 0.04, r = 0.23) and female (P = 0.006, r = 0.26), which indicates that children with better food habits were associated with higher IQ.

CONCLUSION

It was shown that elementary school children's IQ, food habits, and degree of physical activity are all positively correlated.

Association between intelligence quotient scores and body mass index in pediatric multiple sclerosis

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and intelligence quotient scores (IQ). The sample included 11 patients with pediatric multiple sclerosis between 8 and 17 years, mean age 14.45 years (SD = 2.69). The BMI was calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children V and the Abbreviated Weschler Intelligence Scale were used to measure total IQ. Average sample BMI and IQ were 24.61 (SD = 5.53) (range: 19-39.4) and 86.63 (SD = 14.79) (range: 66-111), respectively. Results of the Pearson correlation indicated that there was a significant negative association between BMI and IQ, (r = -0.608, p = 0.042). R-squared was 0.370. We discuss if lower IQ lead to BMI gains or whether overweight/obesity lead to intellectual functioning changes. Implication for practice and future research are presented.

Excess BMI in early adolescence adversely impacts maturating functional circuits supporting high-level cognition and their structural correlates

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Adverse effects of excess BMI (affecting 1 in 5 children in the US) on brain circuits during neurodevelopmentally vulnerable periods are incompletely understood. This study investigated BMI-related alterations in maturating functional networks and their underlying brain structures, and high-level cognition in early adolescence.

SUBJECTS/METHODS

Cross-sectional resting-state fMRI, structural sMRI, neurocognitive task scores, and BMI from 4922 youth [median (IQR) age = 120.0 (13.0) months, 2572 females (52.25%)] from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) cohort were analyzed. Comprehensive topological and morphometric network properties were estimated from fMRI and sMRI, respectively. Cross-validated linear regression models assessed correlations with BMI. Results were reproduced across multiple fMRI datasets.

RESULTS

Almost 30% of youth had excess BMI, including 736 (15.0%) with overweight and 672 (13.7%) with obesity, and statistically more Black and Hispanic compared to white, Asian and non-Hispanic youth (p < 0.01). Those with obesity or overweight were less physically active, slept less than recommended, snored more frequently, and spent more time using an electronic device (p < 0.01). They also had lower topological efficiency, resilience, connectivity, connectedness and clustering in Default-Mode, dorsal attention, salience, control, limbic, and reward networks (p ≤ 0.04, Cohen's d: 0.07-0.39). Lower cortico-thalamic efficiency and connectivity were estimated only in youth with obesity (p < 0.01, Cohen's d: 0.09-0.19). Both groups had lower cortical thickness, volume and white matter intensity in these networks' constituent structures, particularly anterior cingulate, entorhinal, prefrontal, and lateral occipital cortices (p < 0.01, Cohen's d: 0.12-0.30), which also mediated inverse relationships between BMI and regional functional topologies. Youth with obesity or overweight had lower scores in a task measuring fluid reasoning - a core aspect of cognitive function, which were partially correlated with topological changes (p ≤ 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Excess BMI in early adolescence may be associated with profound aberrant topological alterations in maturating functional circuits and underdeveloped brain structures that adversely impact core aspects of cognitive function.

Socio-demographic factors influencing measures of cognitive function of early adolescent students in abuja, Nigeria

BACKGROUND

The brain in the early adolescent period undergoes enhanced changes with the radical reorganisation of the neuronal network leading to improvement in cognitive capacity. A complex interplay exists between environment and genetics that influences the outcome of intellectual capability. We, therefore, aimed to evaluate the relationship between socio-demographic variables and measures of cognitive function (intelligence quotient [IQ] and academic performance) of early adolescents.

METHODS

The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study of early adolescents aged 10-14 years. Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices was used to assess the IQ and academic performance was assessed by obtaining the average of all the subjects' scores in the last three terms that made up an academic year. A confidence interval of 95% was assumed and a value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

The overall mean (standard deviation) age of the study population was 11.1 years (±1.3) with male-to-female ratio of 1:1. Female sex was associated with better academic performance with P = 0.004. The students with optimal IQ performance were more likely (61.7%) to perform above average than those with sub-optimal IQ performance (28.6%). As the mother's age increased, the likelihood of having optimal IQ performance increased 1.04 times (odds ratio [OR] = 1.04; 95 confidence interval [CI] = 1.01-1.07). Students in private schools were three times more likely to have optimal IQ performance than those from public schools (OR = 2.79; 95 CI = 1.65-4.71).

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrated that students' IQ performance and the female gender were associated with above-average academic performance. The predictors of optimal IQ performance found in this study were students' age, maternal age and school type.

Linking body mass index and intelligence among Indian medical students

The intelligence quotient (IQ) is a dependable measurement for intellectual functioning that reflects computable cognitive abilities. According to earlier cross-sectional studies designs, developing higher BMI related to decreased IQ in adolescents population. Therefore, it is of interest to determine the correlation between IQ and BMI. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale-IV was used to assess intelligence. Body Mass Index (weight in kg/height in metre squares) was calculated using height and weight. A questionnaire was developed after the elaborated discussion and circulated among the students. The data was then analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2019. The correlation among intelligent quotient and BMI was found to be positive: r = 0.447, N = 300, p<0.05. Data shows that the IQ score is moderately associated with BMI. However, the other factors such as, parental IQ, nutrition, and socioeconomic status is taken into account, this effect appears to differ.

Tap Water Consumption Is Associated with Schoolchildren’s Cognitive Deficits in Afghanistan

Environmental influence on intelligence quotient (IQ) is poorly understood in developing countries. We conducted the first cross-sectional investigation to assess the role of socio-economic and environmental factors on schoolchildren’s IQ in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. A representative sample of 245 schoolchildren aged 7–15 was randomly selected in five schools. Children’s records included: non-verbal IQ TONI-1 scale, body mass index, socio-economic status, and further environmental indicators (water supply, proximity to a heavy-traffic road, use of surma traditional cosmetics). The mean age of the children was 11.7 years old (±2.0 years), and 70.2% and 29.8% were male and female, respectively. The children’s mean IQ was 83.8 (±12.6). In total, 37 (14.9%) of the children were overweight, 78 (31.5%) were living below the USD 1.25 poverty line, 133 (53.6%) used tap water supply, 76 (30.6%) used surma, and 166 (66.9%) were exposed to heavy road traffic. The children’s IQ was significantly and independently lowered by tap water use (−3.9; 95% CI [−7.1; −0.6]) and by aging (−1.4; 95% CI [−2.2; −0.6]), as revealed in multivariate analysis, independently of gender, socio-economic status, exposure to heavy road traffic, overweight status, and surma use. Lower IQ among older children is possibly attributed to chronic stress experienced by adolescents due to living conditions in Afghanistan. While using tap water prevents fecal peril, it may expose children to toxic elements such as lead which is known to lower their intellectual development.

Investigating whether depressed youth exhibiting elevated C reactive protein perform worse on measures of executive functioning, verbal fluency and episodic memory in a large, population based sample of Dutch adolescents

Cognitive functioning is disrupted during a depressive episode and cognitive dysfunction persists when depression is in remission. A subtype of depressed individuals who exhibit elevated inflammatory biomarkers may be at particular risk for cognitive dysfunction. We examined whether an elevated inflammatory biomarker (C-reactive protein: CRP) in acute and/or remitted depression was associated with specific deficits in executive functioning, episodic memory, and verbal fluency. Data were drawn from a population-based sample of Dutch adolescents (N = 1066; 46% male) recruited at the age of 11 and followed over the course of eight years. We tested whether adolescents with either, (i) a history of depression (Wave 1-3) or (ii) current depression (Wave 4), and elevated levels of C-reactive protein measured in blood at Wave 3 performed worse on cognitive assessments at Wave 4. Eight measures of cognitive functioning were hypothesized to load on to one of three dimensions of cognitive functioning (executive functioning, episodic memory, and verbal fluency) within a structural equation model framework. Higher levels of CRP were associated with worse future executive functioning in adolescents with and without current/prior depression. A current depression diagnosis also was associated with worse executive functioning. There was consistent evidence linking low socioeconomic status and health-related covariates (high body mass index/sedentary behavior) with worse performance across multiple measures of cognitive functioning and, importantly, the association of depression/CRP and executive functioning was no longer significant when controlling for these covariates. Future studies may benefit from investigating whether specific depressogenic behaviors (e.g., sedentary behavior/substance use) mediate a relationship between depression and worse executive functioning, potentially via a prospective pathway through elevated inflammation.

Genetically determined intelligence and coronary artery disease risk

BACKGROUND

Epidemiological studies have shown inverse association between intelligence and coronary artery disease (CAD) risk, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

METHODS

Based on 242 SNPs independently associated with intelligence, we calculated the genetic intelligence score (gIQ) for participants from 10 CAD case-control studies (n = 34,083) and UK Biobank (n = 427,306). From UK Biobank, we extracted phenotypes including body mass index (BMI), type 2 diabetes (T2D), smoking, hypertension, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, measured intelligence score, and education attainment. To estimate the effects of gIQ on CAD and its related risk factors, regression analyses was applied. Next, we studied the mediatory roles of measured intelligence and educational attainment. Lastly, Mendelian randomization was performed to validate the findings.

RESULTS

In CAD case-control studies, one standard deviation (SD) increase of gIQ was related to a 5% decrease of CAD risk (odds ratio [OR] of 0.95; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.93 to 0.98; P = 4.93e-5), which was validated in UK Biobank (OR = 0.97; 95% CI 0.96 to 0.99; P = 6.4e-4). In UK Biobank, we also found significant inverse correlations between gIQ and risk factors of CAD including smoking, BMI, T2D, hypertension, and a positive correlation with HDL cholesterol. The association signals between gIQ and CAD as well as its risk factors got largely attenuated after the adjustment of measured intelligence and educational attainment. The causal role of intelligence in mediating CAD risk was confirmed by Mendelian randomization analyses.

CONCLUSION

Genetic components of intelligence affect measured intelligence and educational attainment, which subsequently affect the prevalence of CAD via a series of unfavorable risk factor profiles.

Nutritional Status and Educational Performance of School-Aged Children in Lalibela Town Primary Schools, Northern Ethiopia

Background

Every student has the potential to do well in school. Failing to provide good nutrition puts them at risk for missing out on meeting that potential and leads to long-term irreversible damage to cognitive development. However, taking action today to provide healthier choices in schools can help set students up for a successful future full of possibilities. So, this study is aimed at assessing the effect of nutritional status on academic performance of school-aged children.

Methods

A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted from Feb 05- March 30, 2017 in Lalibela town. A total of 505 primary school students were included in the study. The child anthropometric measures were calculated using AnthroPlus software version 1.0.4 WHO 2007 standards. Bivariable and multivariable ordinal logistic regression were fitted. The proportional odds ratio (POR) with a 95% CI and P value < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

The overall prevalence of stunting, underweight, and thinness was 29.5%, 35.7%, and 29.5%, respectively. In this study, 14.7% of the study participants had low academic achievement in the semester. The multivariable analysis showed that rural residence (POR = 0.39; 95% CI: (0.21, 0.75)), not studying regularly (POR = 0.49; 95% CI: (0.29, 0.82)), severe underweight (POR = 0.25; 95% CI: (0.09, 0.71)), and severe stunting (POR = 0.03; 95% CI: (0.01, 0.37)) were associated with decreased odds of high average semester score achievement of school-aged children. Additionally, higher maternal educational status (POR = 2.12; 95% CI: (1.10, 4.07)) and family income from 550 to 2999 ETB (POR = 1.71; 95% CI: (1.04, 2.81)) were associated with increased odds of high semester average score achievement.

Conclusion

Nearly one-third of school-aged children in Lalibela town were stunted, thin, and underweight. Rural place of residence, not studying regularly study, underweight, and stunting were associated with decreased academic achievement. While, family monthly income from 550 to 2999 ETB and higher maternal education status were associated with increased academic achievement.

From privatization to health system strengthening: how different International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank policies impact health in developing countries

Background

In the past several decades, the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have transitioned priorities from rebuilding European and Asian countries to decreasing poverty in developing countries. In addition, they evolved to be the world’s main financial sponsor to healthcare-related projects. Policies of these organizations forced some structural adjustment policies on many developing countries that resulted in negative consequences. This piece examines the impact of the changing policies of WB and IMF on the health of vulnerable populations and suggests potential recommendations for future improvements.

Findings

Privatization of health services has become common around the world especially in the developing countries. Several reports documented negative effects of privatization on healthcare systems and vulnerable populations. Countries that received loans from the WB to privatize its social security system, for example Mexico, had drastic changes in the conditions of health. Public sector organizations faced budget reductions that led to an erosion of healthcare services, increased rates of unemployment, and lack of insurance of low-income people. The IMF’s monetarist strategies towards prioritizing fiscal restraint (low budget deficits) and price stability (low inflation) negatively impacted low-income people and increased the inequity in access to health care.

The present policies of these two organizations that focus on health system strengthening (HSS), and specifically incorporating existing vertical programs into health systems, had some critics. These programs, though many were successful, might result in adverse unintended effects for the health system and non-targeted populations. Some of the developing countries are unable to implement HSS projects properly.

Conclusions

Both the past and the present policies of the WB and the IMF had adverse consequences on the health systems in developing countries. These policies should be re-considered. Developing countries should implement strategies to increase quality of care and improve equity in access to healthcare. Time-limited vertical programs should be developed carefully to avoid adverse unintended effects for the health system and non-targeted populations. Strategies at both operational and strategic levels to improve relations between the vertical and horizontal basics of the system should be adopted.

Polymorphisms in Manganese Transporters SLC30A10 and SLC39A8 Are Associated With Children's Neurodevelopment by Influencing Manganese Homeostasis

Background: Manganese (Mn) is an essential element but at excessive levels, it is neurotoxic. Even a moderate increase in Mn has been suggested to interfere with neurodevelopment in children. Genetics influencing Mn concentrations and toxicity is unclear.

Objective: We assessed, in a cross-sectional study, whether common single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the Mn transporters SLC39A8 (influx) and SLC30A10 (efflux) are associated with neurodevelopment in children.

Design: We genotyped SLC39A8 (rs13107325 C/T) and SLC30A10 (rs1776029 G/A and rs12064812 T/C) in Italian children (n = 686, ages 11–14). We then used linear regression models to analyze associations between genotype, blood Mn concentrations, and neurodevelopmental outcomes including intelligence, behavior, motor function, and sway. Inferred causal relationships were evaluated using instrumental variables (IV) analysis.

Results: For SLC30A10 rs1776029, the minor allele (A) was associated with increased average blood Mn of 41% (p < 0.001), whereas minor alleles for rs12064812 (C) and rs13107325 (T) were associated with reduced blood Mn of 7% (p = 0.002) and 15% (p < 0.001), respectively. For children carrying genotypes associated with high blood Mn, we observed lower performance for certain IQ subtests, increased sway, and increased scores for behavioral problems. High Mn genotypes showed odds ratios of 2–4 (p ≤ 0.01) for high scores in tests assessing ADHD-related behavior. IV analyses suggested that several of the associations were mediated by blood Mn.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that common polymorphisms in SLC39A8 and SLC30A10 influence neurodevelopmental outcomes in children via differences in Mn homeostasis.

Intelligence as a Developing Function: A Neuroconstructivist Approach

The concept of intelligence encompasses the mental abilities necessary to survival and advancement in any environmental context. Attempts to grasp this multifaceted concept through a relatively simple operationalization have fostered the notion that individual differences in intelligence can often be expressed by a single score. This predominant position has contributed to expect intelligence profiles to remain substantially stable over the course of ontogenetic development and, more generally, across the life-span. These tendencies, however, are biased by the still limited number of empirical reports taking a developmental perspective on intelligence. Viewing intelligence as a dynamic concept, indeed, implies the need to identify full developmental trajectories, to assess how genes, brain, cognition, and environment interact with each other. In the present paper, we describe how a neuroconstructivist approach better explains why intelligence can rise or fall over development, as a result of a fluctuating interaction between the developing system itself and the environmental factors involved at different times across ontogenesis.

Determinants of Body Mass Index and Intelligence Quotient of Elementary School Children in Mountain Area of Nepal: An Explorative Study

The physical growth and cognitive development of elementary school children are very crucial and this group is large in number but has little research dedicated to it. The physical growth and cognitive development of children occur simultaneously and can be measured by body mass index (BMI) and intelligence quotient (IQ). Previous studies could not sufficiently focus on both aspects. The aim of this study was to identify determinants of BMI and IQ of students in two elementary schools in the Humla district of Nepal. Two randomly selected elementary schools and all children available there (n = 173) participated in the study. BMI was calculated with the objective of proper measurement of height and weight of the children. Likewise, the updated universal nonverbal intelligence test (UNIT) was applied for IQ. Descriptive statistics, t-test, analysis of variance and multiple linear regressions were used when appropriate. Study findings showed that one-tenth of the children had grade 2 thinness (-2SD) and about one-third had poor IQ (<85). The age of the children (p < 0.05) and household economic status (p < 0.001) were significant for the BMI. Likewise, frequencies of illness in the previous year, mother's education (p < 0.05) and father's education (p < 0.001) were significant factors for the IQ score. More commonly, BMI and IQ scores were significantly lower in the ultra-poor group. Economic status and parent education are still major determinants of IQ and BMI in these students. Special programs and strategies should be launched to improve the poor ranking of IQ and BMI.