Skip to main content

A handful of walnuts a day may enhance cognitive development in adolescents


California Walnuts

According to a new study by the Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), in collaboration with ISGlobal and the Instituto Hospital del Mar de Investigaciones Médicas (IMIM)

 

  • Adolescent participants who followed a diet with walnuts showed improvements in attention functions, increases in functions related to fluid intelligence and improvements in neuropsychological functions.

 

  • Walnuts are the only tree nut with a significant amount of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid essential for the body and which plays a key role in brain development, especially in the developmental stage.

 

İstanbul, Turkey (ARAB NEWSWIRE) -- A new Spanish study published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, from the prestigious publisher The Lancet Discovery Science, reveals that consuming walnuts regularly may have a positive impact on the cognitive development and psychological maturation of adolescents. Walnuts are the only tree nut with a significant amount of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid essential for the body and which plays a key role in brain development, especially in the developmental stage. The results of this study, led by the Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), with the collaboration of ISGlobal and the Hospital del Mar Institute for Medical Research (IMIM), are promising as it is the first research that shows the importance of eating walnuts during adolescence.

This research demonstrates that a healthy, balanced diet that provides essential nutrients, such as those provided by walnuts, can have a beneficial effect on the cognitive and psychological development of adolescents. "Adolescence is a period of brain refinement, connectivity and complex behaviors, so it remains sensitive to a number of environmental and lifestyle factors, including diet, from which it requires a large amount of energy and nutrients for proper development. Walnuts are a nutrient-dense food and a rich plant-based source of ALA, an omega-3 fatty acid that provides energy and is essential for the body and its development. For this reason, walnuts are a great ally of adolescent health," says Dr. Jordi Julvez, principal investigator and coordinator of the Neuro Èpia Research Group of the IISPV.

This study involved 700 volunteers, specifically, high school students between 11 and 16 years of age from 12 different high schools. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: the control group and the experimental group. The experimental group was given packets containing 30 grams of walnuts (equivalent to a handful) and were instructed to consume them daily for 6 months. Participants who consumed walnuts for at least 100 days showed improvements in attention functions and those with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) had better behavior in class, paying more attention to the teacher and being less hyperactive. In addition, the study found an increase in functions related to fluid intelligence, which is less influenced by learning and inherent to a person's biology. Participants who followed more closely the recommended dose of walnuts and the number of days of consumption showed improvements in neuropsychological functions.

 

Adolescent Nutrition Habits in MENA Region

Over the last decade, the unhealthy lifestyle and poor dietary habits have been of great concern to the local health authorities in most Arab countries where obesity has reached an epidemic rate for both children and adults1. According to the results of the National Health Survey 2017–2018, the obesity rate amongst children and adolescents aged between 5 and 17 years reached about 17.35 per cent2. Apart from young people's unhealthy food habits in UAE, they also tend to have irregular eating patterns, which may include skipping breakfast3. The diet of Arab adolescents is characterized by a low intake of fruit, vegetables, and milk and a high intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, fast foods, and sweets4.


Media Contact: 
Promedia PR Agency
Berk Ütkü
berku@promedia.com.tr


For more information about the study, resource images and interviews with the researchers of the study, please contact Yes, We're Open: Èlia Bernabeu (+34 696 002 537) elia@yesweopen.com and Lorena De Marco (+34 622 221 464) lorena@yesweopen.com


This press release is issued through Arab Newswire (www.arabnewswire.com) – a newswire service for Arab World, Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and it is distributed by EmailWire™ (www.emailwire.com) – the global newswire service that provides Press release distribution with guaranteed results™.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Accely Announces Appointment of Alok Bapna, Ex DXC/CSC Leader as President

Accely has appointed sales and new business development veteran Alok Bapna as its new President . DUBAI, UAE -- ( Arab Newswire ) -- At Accely, we will align his experience in the IT industry with our business goals to achieve new milestones. We look forward to utilizing his expertise in various areas so Accely can offer clients tailored and refined business solutions. Over the years, Accely has been recognized as a trustworthy SAP consulting service for its innovative solutions. With a new leader in the senior management, we can enrich our core services such as IT, enterprise application support, and consulting services. As a result of Alok's diverse experience, Accely can expand into wholesale, retail, consumer goods, life sciences, engineering and construction, and manufacturing markets. Alok's approach to leadership will enhance Accely's ability to solve business problems and deliver high-quality results. His ability to address and resolve issues in the IT industry is ...
Post a Comment
Read more

SAP Inside Track Published Accely’s New Product Development and Recent Acquirements

DUBAI, UAE – ( ARAB NEWSWIRE ) -- Accely, an EMEA South Partner, has ventured into the intellectual property horizon by acquiring two pioneering companies and crafting a futuristic product line for these enterprises. Nilesh Shah, CEO, Accely, a leading SAP solution provider , and his team have assisted varied enterprises in automating operations and departments over the years. In recent years, the company saw a shift in market expectations and an increased demand for technical assistance. This insight was the much-needed impetus for Accely. They took this initiative to step into the intellectual property realm for the first time and introduce a new product line with the assistance of two firms that specialize in this space. Nilesh Shah, CEO, Accely Accelerated Products covers S/4 HANA ERP solutions for intelligent enterprises, while Activa Factor y specializes in Success Factors that improve project management methodologies and help businesses thrive. These specialists ensured that Ac...
Post a Comment
Read more

Dubai WoodShow to commence on March 5, featuring 682 local and international exhibitors

Dubai, UAE – ( ARAB NEWSWIRE ) -- The countdown has begun for the highly anticipated 20th Dubai International Wood and Woodworking Machinery Exhibition (Dubai WoodShow), scheduled to take place from March 5-7, 2024, at the prestigious Dubai World Trade Centre, with participation from 682 exhibitors. As a flagship event in the wood industry calendar, Dubai WoodShow is part of the esteemed Global WoodShows series, recognized as the "leading platform for wood and woodworking machinery in the MENA region." Dubai WoodShow serves as a beacon for the wood industry, annually presenting the latest trends, innovations, and technologies in the global wood and woodworking machinery sector. Additionally, it serves as a platform for exchanging experiences, and knowledge among participants, exploring opportunities for collaboration and joint ventures, and attracting investments. In 2024, the exhibition will feature a remarkable exhibition, with exhibitors presenting the latest advancements...
Post a Comment
Read more