Children Who Eat High-Fat Foods Might See Effects In Their Mental Health

We recently reported that salt levels in children's fast food meals are dangerously high. Now, new evidence suggests that kids should be careful about how much fat they consume because it could affect their mental health.

A study published in the journal Appetite examined the correlation between high-fat diets and children's cognitive development. The authors of the article are professors from the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

The researchers studied the behavior of children between 7 and 10 years old. The children, whose diets were monitored, were given a test asking them to select the correct shape or color as it was changing its form. Those who consumed a diet with more fat showed a lower level of cognitive flexibility.

"Cognitive flexibility is important because it comprises the ability to switch perspectives in daily life," the authors note in the article.

The results also suggest that the children who were more physically active performed better on the test.