Clinical trial NCT02344056: Cognition Intervention Study Dortmund- Continued (Coco)
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Cognitive Function
Keywords: Having Lunch
Skipping Lunch
Lead sponsor: Research Institute of Child Nutrition, Dortmund
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2015-01-22
Enrollment: 154
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 10
Maximum age (years): 14
Standard ages: CHILD
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: CROSSOVER

Brief summary: The Cognition Intervention Study Dortmund (CogniDo) and the Cognition Intervention Study Dortmund PLUS (CogniDo PLUS) investigated the short-term effects of having school lunch versus skipping it on children's basal (CogniDo) and executive (CogniDo PLUS) cognitive functions in the afternoon. The present Coco study connect this two previous studies and investigates the effect of having school lunch versus skipping it on children's basal and executive cognitive functions later in the afternoon.

Detailed description: Because of cerebral particularities, children may react highly sensitive to variations of nutrient supply. Therefore, an optimised composition of meals at favourable mealtime should be considered for optimal cognitive performance. The increasing implementation of all-day schools in Germany requires the children's catering for lunch at school. However, the number of 'meal skippers' is increasing among children and adolescents. Thus, the effect of skipping lunch at school on cognitive functioning is examined in this experimental cross-over trial. As prior intake of food can have an influence on the physiological effect of test meal, the children's dietary intake in the mid-morning is standardized. The intervention is integrated in everyday school life:

9.15 a.m. standardized snack within the frame of the regular break, 9.45 a.m. to 12.25 p.m. everyday school life, 12.25 p.m. either lunch (control) or water as a beverage (intervention of 'skipping meal'), 12.45 p.m. to 1.15 p.m. regular lunch break, 1.15 p.m. to 14.10 p.m. regular school lesson. 14.15 p.m. computerized tests of executive cognitive and basal (alertness) functioning, 3 p.m. lunch for the 'skipping meal'-group. Parameters of cognition with relevance to everyday school life are measured by a computerized test program developed by the Institute of Working Learning and Aging (ALA). Usual eating behaviour, sleep behaviour, physical activity and parental education were determined as control variables by questionnaires for children, parents.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* All fifth and sixth grade students of Gesamtschule Berger Feld with the consent of parents and child

Exclusion Criteria:

* Metabolic diseases or special diet

Primary outcomes:
measure: Shifting: Change of total reaction time for a) [ms]
timeFrame: Participants were tested twice with one week wash out (1h after having/skipping lunch)
measure: Shifting: Change of total reaction time for b) [ms]
timeFrame: Participants were tested twice with one week wash out (1h after having/skipping lunch)
measure: Shifting: Change of total switch-costs [ms]
timeFrame: Participants were tested twice with one week wash out (1h after having/skipping lunch)
measure: updating: change of ratio of missing [%]
timeFrame: Time Frame: Participants were tested twice with one week wash out (1h after having/skipping lunch)
measure: updating: change of ratio of false alarms [%]
timeFrame: Time Frame: Participants were tested twice with one week wash out (1h after having/skipping lunch)
measure: updating: change of mean reaction time [ms]
timeFrame: Time Frame: Participants were tested twice with one week wash out (1h after having/skipping lunch)
measure: tonic alertness: change of mean reaction time [ms]
timeFrame: Time Frame: Participants were tested twice with one week wash out (1h after having/skipping lunch)
measure: tonic alertness: change of deviation of reaction time [ms]
timeFrame: Time Frame: Participants were tested twice with one week wash out (1h after having/skipping lunch)
measure: tonic alertness:change of numbers of omission and commission errors [n]
timeFrame: Time Frame: Participants were tested twice with one week wash out (1h after having/skipping lunch)
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Dortmund
country: Germany
facility: Research Institute of Child Nutrition, Dortmund
Study officials:
References: