2 days Ago
A new study has found that school-aged children who consumed more isoflavones from soy foods exhibited better thinking abilities and attention. These findings pave the way for future research aimed at unraveling how soy foods can positively impact children's cognitive abilities. Isoflavones are naturally occurring compounds found in various plants, particularly soybeans and .
Although previous research in adults has suggested that soy isoflavones can improve memory, the benefits haven't been studied well in children. "Soy foods are often not a regular part of children's diets in the United States," said Ajla Bristina, a neuroscience doctoral student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. "Our study adds evidence of the importance of nutrients found in soy foods for childhood cognition.
" Bristina will present the findings at , the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, held June 29–July 2 in Chicago. To examine the potential benefits of soy isoflavones, the researchers examined previously available data from a cross-sectional study that included 128 children ages 7 to 13. They used information from 7-day diet records to calculate each child's average dietary intake, including the amounts of macronutrients, micronutrients, vitamins and isoflavones consumed.
To assess the children's general intellectual ability, the researchers used a set of pencil and paper tests adjusted for grade level. They also measured attentional abilities using a computerized ta.
