title: The Relationship between Nutrition in Infancy and Cognitive Performance during Adolescence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we aimed to investigate the long-term associations between breastfeeding duration during infancy, diet quality as measured by a diet score at 1 year of age, and cognitive performance during adolescence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (n = 717) were recruited from the West Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study, a prospective longitudinal study of 2868 children and their families based in Perth, WA, Australia. Breastfeeding duration and an early diet score at age 1 year were used as the main predictor variables, while a computerized cognitive battery (CogState) was used to assess adolescents' cognitive performance at 17 years. The diet score, which has seven food group components, was based on a 24-h recall questionnaire completed by the mother at 1 year of age. A higher diet score represents a better, more nutritious eating pattern. Associations between breastfeeding duration, diet score, and cognitive performance were assessed in multivariable regression models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher diet scores at 1 year representing better diet quality were significantly associated with faster reaction times in cognitive performance at 17 years [Detection Task (DET): β = -0.004, 95% CI: -0.008; 0.000, p = 0.036; Identification Task (IDN): β = -0.004, 95% CI: -0.008; 0.000, p = 0.027]. Breastfeeding duration (≥4 months) was also significantly associated with a shorter reaction time, but only for males (DET: β = -0.026, 95% CI: -0.046; -0.006, p = 0.010).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nutrition in early childhood may have a long-term association with fundamental cognitive processing speed, which is likely to be related to enhanced brain development in the first year of life.
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, The University of Western Australia , Perth, WA , Australia ; Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia , Perth, WA , Australia.
authors.forename: Anett
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nyaradi
authors.affiliation: Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia , Perth, WA , Australia.
authors.forename: Wendy H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Oddy
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, The University of Western Australia , Perth, WA , Australia.
authors.forename: Siobhan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hickling
authors.affiliation: Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia , Perth, WA , Australia ; WZB Berlin Social Research Center , Berlin , Germany ; Faculty of Health Sciences, Centre for Population Health Research, Curtin University , Perth, WA , Australia.
authors.forename: Jianghong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Curtin University , Perth, WA , Australia ; Neurosciences Unit, Health Department of Western Australia , Perth, WA , Australia ; School of Paediatrics and Child Health, The University of Western Australia , Perth, WA , Australia.
authors.forename: Jonathan K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Foster
keywords: CogState; Raine study; adolescence; breastfeeding; cognitive performance; early childhood; nutrition