title: The relationship between physical activity and diet and young children's cognitive development: A systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Given the high prevalence of suboptimal nutrition and low activity levels in children, we systematically reviewed the literature on the relationship between physical activity and dietary patterns and cognitive development in early childhood (six months to five years).
  
  
  METHODS
  In February 2016, we conducted two different searches of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and ERIC. Each search included either physical activity (including gross motor skills) or diet terms, and neurocognitive development outcome terms. Included studies were in English, published since 2005, and of any study design in which the physical activity or diet measure occurred prior to age five.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For physical activity, twelve studies (5 cross-sectional, 3 longitudinal and 4 experimental) were included. Eleven studies reported evidence suggesting that physical activity or gross motor skills are related to cognition or learning. Both acute bouts and longer term exposures showed benefit. For diet, eight studies were included consisting of secondary analyses from longitudinal cohort studies. A healthier dietary pattern was associated with better cognitive outcomes in all studies, although some of the reported associations were weak and the measures used varied across the studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physical activity and healthy diets in early childhood are associated with better cognitive outcomes in young children. The paucity of literature and the variability in the type and quality of measures used highlight the need for more rigorous research. Given that the early childhood years are critical for both obesity prevention and neurocognitive development, evidence that the same healthy behaviors could promote both should inform future interventions.
authors.affiliation: Seattle Children's Research Institute, M/S CW-8, PO Box 5371, Seattle, WA 98145, United States; University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.
authors.forename: Pooja S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Tandon
authors.affiliation: The University of Rhode Island, Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Kingston RI, Fogarty, Rm. 143c, Kingston, RI 02881, United States.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tovar
authors.affiliation: Seattle Children's Research Institute, M/S CW-8, PO Box 5371, Seattle, WA 98145, United States.
authors.forename: Avanthi T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Jayasuriya
authors.affiliation: Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, 803 Lancaster Street Apartment D, Durham, NC, United States.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Welker
authors.affiliation: DePaul University, Master of Public Health Program, 14 E. Jackson Blvd, Mailstop - Master of Public Health, Daily 710, Chicago, IL 60604, United States.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Schober
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Division of General and Community Pediatrics, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, United States.
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Copeland
authors.affiliation: 135 home Economics, Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, United States.
authors.forename: Dipti A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Dev
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Ashleigh L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Murriel
authors.affiliation: Brown University, Cognitive, Linguistic & Physiological Sciences, Providence, RI, United States.
authors.forename: Dima
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Amso
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, United States.
authors.forename: Dianne S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Ward
keywords: Childhood obesity; Cognitive development; Early learning; Executive function; Nutrition; Physical activity