Taken together , evidence suggests a positive association between healthy dietary consumption and executive functioning .
A systematic review was conducted to evaluate whether healthier dietary consumption  among children and adolescents impacts executive functioning .
Prospective associations between dietary patterns and cognitive performance during adolescence.
BACKGROUND The aim of the study was to investigate prospect i ve associations between dietary patterns and cognitive performance during adolescence . METHODS Participants were source d from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort ( Raine ) Study that includes 2868 children born between 1989 and 1992 in Perth , Western Australia . When the children were 17 years old ( 2006 - 2009 ) , cognitive performance was assessed using a computerized cognitive battery of tests ( CogState ) that included six tasks . Using a food frequency question naire administered when the children were 14 years old ( 2003 - 2006 ) , ' Healthy ' and ' Western ' dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis . Associations between dietary patterns at 14 years of age and cognitive performance at 17 years of age were assessed prospect ively using multivariate regression models . RESULTS Dietary and cognitive performance data were available for 602 participants . Following adjustment for the ' Healthy ' dietary pattern , total energy intake , maternal education , family income , father 's presence in the family , family functioning and gender , we found that a longer reaction time in the detection task ( β = .016 ; 95 % CI : 0.004 ; 0.028 ; p = .009 ) and a higher number of total errors in the Groton Maze Learning Test - delayed recall task ( β = .060 ; 95 % CI : 0.006 ; 0.114 ; p = .029 ) were significantly associated with higher scores on the ' Western ' dietary pattern . The ' Western ' dietary pattern was characterized by high intakes of take-away food , red and processed meat , soft drink , fried and refined food . We also found that within the dietary patterns , high intake of fried potato , crisps and red meat had negative associations , while increased fruit and leafy green vegetable intake had positive associations with some aspects of cognitive performance . CONCLUSION Higher dietary intake of the ' Western ' dietary pattern at age 14 is associated with diminished cognitive performance 3 years later , at 17 years
Taken together , evidence suggests a positive association between healthy dietary consumption and executive functioning .
A systematic review was conducted to evaluate whether healthier dietary consumption  among children and adolescents impacts executive functioning .