Nutrition, Health and Social Factors Related to Intellectual Performance1

Nutritional Deficiencies and Children's Behaviour and Mental Development

“…In another Colombian study, the families of both Undernourished and adequately nourished pairs of siblings were assigned to supplement or no supplement groups (Mora et al 1974). After 1 year, the developmental levels of the supplemented undernourished group showed a small, but significant benefit compared with the other groups.…”

Nutrition and Mental Development in Children

“…Although most of these studies have found associations between early malnutrition and deficient mental de velopment, an alternative causal explanation for these findings has alw'itys existed. Poverty and accompanying social deprivation almost invariably co exist with malnutrition (e.g., Chase and Martin, 1970;Chavez et at., 1974;Cravioto and Robles, 1965;Evans et at., 1971;Monckeberg et aI., 1972;Mora et at., 1974;Patel, 1974;Schlenker et at., 1968;Smythe, 1963, 1967). Since social deprivation may well playa causal role in deficient mental development (e.g., Hess et at., 1968;Whiteman and Deutsch, 1968), the effects of nutritional and social variables on mental development are confounded.…”

Anti-oxidant vitamins and mental performance of the elderly

“…Other research has investigated the actions of multivitamin supplementation on the mental functioning of children and young adults. The results of these studies suggest that various aspects of CNS function can be improved by multi-vitamins (see Mora et al, 1974;Waber et al, 1981;Benton and Roberts, 1988;Benton and Buts, 1990;Crombie et al, 1990;Heseker et al, 1990;Benton and Cook, 1991). However, the bene®ts of vitamin supplementation have often been found to be rather selective, in¯uencing certain sub-groups and speci®c aspects of behaviour.…”