Wednesday May 13, 2009

Brain food

By WONG LI ZA

Studies have shown that children who consume high glycemic index food have poorer word recall ability, attention span and memory power.

NOT many parents realise this, but by three months old, a baby’s brain has developed 40% to 50% of the total adult number of brain cells. In the first year of a child’s life, the brain gains weight by 2g a day.

Nutritional biologist Dr Lucie van der Zee said by age two, the number of brain cells in a child equals that of an adult, although the child’s brain volume continues growing.

Slow release of glucose: To do well in school, children need to have a low glycemic index breakfast that includes complex carbohydrates.

Van der Zee, who is nutritional research and development manager with Friesland Campina Dairy Foods, the dairy giant behind Dutch Lady products, was here recently for a media interview.

She said the brain of children aged one to six form 10% to 13% of their body mass and use 40% to 75% of total body energy.

“Glucose is the only source of energy for the brain and because the brain cannot store glucose, it needs a continuous supply,” said van der Zee.

Research has shown that breakfast improves memory, attention and reaction time in children. However, the right type of food for breakfast is key, said van der Zee.

Simple sugar foods have high glycemic index (GI) levels. High GI level foods cause hypoglycaemia, or low blood sugar, which stimulates appetite, leads to increased caloric intake and reduces cognitive function.

Dr Goh Chee Leong

European studies have shown that children eating high GI level foods have poorer word recall ability, attention and memory power.

The release rate of glucose into the bloodstream also affects mental ability. Simple carbohydrates result in a faster release as opposed to complex carbohydrates.

“A low GI obtained by complex carbohydrates results in a prolonged increased blood glucose profile and prevents hypoglycemia,” said van der Zee. “This results in improved mental performance such as better memory and attention span.”

Some examples of foods with high GI levels are white rice, sugared cornflakes, soft drinks and white bread, while low GI foods include brown rice, milk, all-bran cereals, wholemeal breads and oranges.

Dr Goh Chee Leong, dean of HELP University College’s Behavioural Sciences Faculty, said all behaviour and learning is determined by brain function, and nutrition increases the brain’s capacity.

He said knowing how to engage a child during learning sessions and activities is also crucial.

Goh said many parents complain of children aged eight and below who have problems paying attention and cannot seem to focus on their learning, either in school or at home.

Dr Lucie van der Zee

“I would like to stress that this is very natural. Many parents and teachers get frustrated because they do not know how to engage their child in the right way,” said Goh, who is also vice-president of HELP.

Goh stressed that learning activities should be broken up into short, 20-minute sessions for children aged below seven. For those aged around seven to nine, activities can be 30 to 40 minutes long.

“These time-frames are based on research in cognitive psychology and form the basis of many successful early childhood learning programmes worldwide,” said Goh.

Parents should also plan a good mix of learning activities for kids to sustain their attention.

“It’s a good idea to alternate between a challenging activity like reading, writing or solving mathematical problems with a more creative activity like drawing, singing or craft.”

Another good principle is to alternate between activities more mental in nature with physical activities that require movement, like running, and motor coordination.

“An active kid, one who likes to run around and touch things, is a good thing. Learning sessions should be fun, not just about sitting down with a book,” said Goh.