Junk food is a deterrent for improving kid's IQ

Adding to the side effects of Junk food, a study has found that Babies and infants consuming junk food may have a reduced IQ, in comparison to those fed with healthy diets, finds a study.

Lisa Smithers from University of Adelaide Public Health who also led the study analyzed the relation between the eating habits of children at six months, 15 months and two years, and their IQ at eight years of age.

The study was conducted on more than 7,000 children and dietary patterns including traditional and contemporary home-prepared food, ready-prepared baby foods, breastfeeding and junk foods were analyzed, says the European Journal of Epidemiology reported.

"Diet supplies the nutrients needed for the development of brain tissues in the first two years of life, and the aim of this study was to look at what impact diet would have on children's IQs," a university statement has quoted saying Smithers.

"We found that children who were breastfed at six months and had a healthy diet regularly including foods such as legumes, cheese, fruit and vegetables at 15 and 24 months, had an IQ up to two points higher by age eight," Smithers added.

"Those children who had a diet regularly involving biscuits, chocolate, sweets, soft drinks and chips in the first two years of life had IQs up to two points lower by age eight. We also found some negative impact on IQ from ready-prepared baby foods given at six months, but some positive associations when given at 24 months," she stated.

--With inputs from IANS