title: Fish consumption in mid-childhood and its relationship to neuropsychological outcomes measured in 7-9 year old children using a NUTRIMENTHE neuropsychological battery.
abstract: Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA), particularly n-3 LCPUFA, play a central role in neuronal growth and the development of the human brain. Fish is the main dietary source of n-3 LCPUFA. To assess the relation between fish consumption, estimated dietary n-3 LCPUFA intake and cognition and behaviour in childhood in a multi-centre European sample.
  
  
  
  Children from 2 European studies, CHOP and NUHEAL, were assessed at 8 and 7.5 years of age, respectively. Different outcomes of neuropsychological development (assessed with the standardized NUTRIMENTHE Neuropsychological Battery (NNB) consisting of 15 subtests) were related with outcomes from a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) focussing on the consumption of fish.
  
  
  
  A total of 584 children completed the FFQ and the neuropsychological tests. We found no associations with calculated DHA or EPA intakes for any of the neuropsychological domains. Children who consumed 2 fish meals per week including one of fatty fish, showed no substantive differences in the cognitive domains from the children who did not. However negative associations with fatty fish consumption were found for social problems (p = 0.019), attention problems (p = 0.012), rule-breaking problems (p = 0.019) and aggressive behaviour problems (p = 0.032). No association was observed with internalizing problems. Higher levels of externalizing problems (p = 0.018) and total problems (p = 0.018) were associated with eating less fatty fish.
  
  
  
  Children who consumed 2 fish meals per week including one of fatty fish were less likely to show emotional and behavioural problems than those who did not.
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics Research Unit, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, IISPV, Reus, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gispert-Llaurado
authors.affiliation: Mind, Brain and Behaviour Research Centre (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perez-Garcia
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics Research Unit, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, IISPV, Reus, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Escribano
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics Research Unit, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, IISPV, Reus, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Closa-Monasterolo
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics Research Unit, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, IISPV, Reus, Spain.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Luque
authors.affiliation: Division of Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, Ludwing-maximilians-University of Munich, München, Germany.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grote
authors.affiliation: Division of Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, Ludwing-maximilians-University of Munich, München, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: EURISTIKOS Excellence Centre for Paediatric Research, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Torres-Espínola
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Immunology, Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Czech-Kowalska
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, San Paolo Hospital, University of Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Verduci
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, CHC St Vincent, Liège-Rocourt, Belgium.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: EURISTIKOS Excellence Centre for Paediatric Research, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Piqueras
authors.affiliation: Division of Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, Ludwing-maximilians-University of Munich, München, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Koletzko
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Decsi
authors.affiliation: Mind, Brain and Behaviour Research Centre (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain; EURISTIKOS Excellence Centre for Paediatric Research, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campoy
authors.affiliation: Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom. Electronic address: p.m.emmett@bristol.ac.uk.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Emmett
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development*; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D005060:Europe; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D000066553:Problem Behavior; D017747:Seafood
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3
keywords: Childhood; Cognition; Fatty fish; Fish consumption; Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA); Neuropsychological battery