在6至14岁儿童在家与家长进行为期4周的安慰剂对照益生元补充剂干预后情绪行为改善的指标

Indicators of improved emotion behavior in 6-14-year-old children following a 4-week placebo controlled prebiotic supplement intervention at home with a parent.

作者信息

Johnstone Nicola, Cohen Kadosh Kathrin

机构信息

School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, UK.

出版信息

Nutr J. 2025 Mar 1;24(1):34. doi: 10.1186/s12937-025-01098-5.

DOI:10.1186/s12937-025-01098-5

PMID:40025494

原文链接:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11871729/

Abstract

BACKGROUND

In this double-blind placebo-controlled randomised intervention we investigated the potential benefits of a prebiotic supplement on children's well-being in a home setting. The primary aim was to determine if this supplement could effectively reduce anxiety, improve mood, and enhance cognitive function, similar to findings in young adults.

METHODS

Fifty-three healthy children, aged 6 to 14, participated in an 8-week trial. The trial consisted of three testing time points; day zero marked the baseline measurement (T1) followed by a 28-day supplement intervention period during which they consumed 5.5 g of the prebiotic galactooligosaccharides (GOS) daily under parental guidance. Endline measures (T2) were conducted on the last day of supplement consumption, with a final follow-up testing session (T3) on day 56. Primary outcomes were trait anxiety using a questionnaire and emotional behavior in a dot-probe task on responses to positive and negative images. Secondary outcomes encompassed depression levels, cognitive function tests, and dietary intake recorded in a 4-day food diary. Additionally, we explored whether parents' emotional behavior had an impact on children's responses.

RESULTS

While our statistical analysis did not reveal significant effects of GOS, there were noteworthy trends. Trait anxiety levels decreased over time in both groups, with a more pronounced decrease in the GOS group (after intervention, p =.090; after follow-up, p =.031). The GOS group exhibited reduced negative emotional responses compared to the placebo group (p =.105), and post-trial depression levels decreased in the GOS group over time (p =.015). Although parental emotional responses correlated with various emotional outcomes in children, they did not influence the intervention effects.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest positive trends in line with our hypotheses, however further investigation with greater statistical power would be beneficial.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Retrospectively registered on https://clinicaltrials.gov/ [NCT06258135] on February 6, 2024.

摘要

背景

在这项双盲、安慰剂对照的随机干预研究中，我们调查了益生元补充剂在家庭环境中对儿童幸福感的潜在益处。主要目的是确定这种补充剂是否能像在年轻人中发现的那样，有效减轻焦虑、改善情绪并增强认知功能。

方法

53名6至14岁的健康儿童参与了一项为期8周的试验。该试验包括三个测试时间点；第零天为基线测量（T1），随后是为期28天的补充剂干预期，在此期间，他们在家长指导下每天食用5.5克益生元低聚半乳糖（GOS）。在补充剂食用的最后一天进行终末测量（T2），并在第56天进行最后一次随访测试（T3）。主要结局是使用问卷测量的特质焦虑以及在点探测任务中对正负图像反应的情绪行为。次要结局包括抑郁水平、认知功能测试以及在4天食物日记中记录的饮食摄入量。此外，我们还探讨了父母的情绪行为是否会对儿童的反应产生影响。

结果

虽然我们的统计分析未显示GOS有显著效果，但有值得注意的趋势。两组的特质焦虑水平均随时间下降，GOS组下降更为明显（干预后，p = 0.090；随访后，p = 0.031）。与安慰剂组相比，GOS组的负面情绪反应减少（p = 0.105），且试验后GOS组的抑郁水平随时间下降（p = 0.015）。虽然父母的情绪反应与儿童的各种情绪结局相关，但它们并未影响干预效果。