Nel L, Emmett P M, Golding J, Taylor C M
Centre for Academic Child Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Eur J Nutr. 2025 Mar 11;64(3):120. doi: 10.1007/s00394-025-03636-7.
Seafood is rich in other essential nutrients such as long-chain fatty acids, selenium and iodine that play an important role in neurodevelopment and cognitive function. The association between seafood intake in childhood and cognitive outcomes has not been well evidenced. Our aim was to investigate the association between seafood intake in children at age 7 years and cognitive and behavioural outcomes at age 7-9 years.
Data on seafood intakes were collected at age 7 years in children enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Adjusted logistic regression was use to model seafood intake with the odds of suboptimal behavioural scores (Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)) measured at age 7 and 9 years and cognitive scores (IQ) at age 8 years.
Lower seafood intake at age 7 years (0 vs. ≥ 190 g/week) increased the adjusted odds of suboptimal prosocial behaviour measured by the SDQ at 7 years by 35% (OR 1.35 (95% CI 1.10, 1.81), p = 0.042) and at 9 years by 43% (OR 1.43 (95% CI 1.02, 1.99), p = 0.036). We found no evidence of any associations with IQ at 8 years.
In a population in which fish intakes were below national recommendations, our results illustrate the importance of seafood intake in children on behavioural variables, specifically prosocial behaviour. Further research on the association of seafood intake with a wider range of indicators of child neurodevelopment will provide stronger evidence of the role of seafood intake in cognitive development.
海鲜富含其他必需营养素，如长链脂肪酸、硒和碘，这些营养素在神经发育和认知功能中发挥着重要作用。儿童时期海鲜摄入量与认知结果之间的关联尚未得到充分证实。我们的目的是研究7岁儿童的海鲜摄入量与7至9岁儿童的认知和行为结果之间的关联。
在参与阿冯父母与儿童纵向研究（ALSPAC）的儿童7岁时收集海鲜摄入量数据。采用校正逻辑回归模型，将海鲜摄入量与7岁和9岁时测量的行为评分（优势与困难问卷（SDQ））不佳几率以及8岁时的认知评分（智商）进行建模。
7岁时海鲜摄入量较低（0克/周与≥190克/周），7岁时SDQ测量的亲社会行为不佳的校正几率增加35%（比值比1.35（95%置信区间1.10，1.81），p = 0.042），9岁时增加43%（比值比1.43（95%置信区间1.02，1.99），p = 0.036）。我们没有发现与8岁时智商存在任何关联的证据。
在一个鱼类摄入量低于国家建议水平的人群中，我们的研究结果表明儿童摄入海鲜对行为变量，特别是亲社会行为具有重要意义。对海鲜摄入量与更广泛的儿童神经发育指标之间关联的进一步研究，将为海鲜摄入量在认知发育中的作用提供更有力的证据。
