Revealed: The food secrets of clever children

Children who eat fish once a week and bread and cereals four times a day end up smarter than their peers, according to a major New Zealand-based study.

The research found that children’s IQ is boosted by eating certain foods, and significantly lowered by other foods.

Margarine was found to have particularly strong links with low IQ scores.

University of Otago scientist Dr Reremoana Theodore, who conducted the research, said it is crucial that further research is undertaken on the findings, especially as disadvantaged children are more likely to be fed margarine because it is cheaper.

Dr Theodore believes the trans-fatty acids in margarine could be to blame for the low IQ scores.

Dietitian Richard Swinbourne said the study must be seen in context of a wider picture.

A balanced diet and physically active lifestyle is more important than not eating margarine, Swinbourne said.

In particular, Swinbourne emphasised the importance of children eating breakfast.

Children form eating habits before they are five, and those habits stay with them for life, Swinbourne warned.

Dr Theodore also studied the effect of pregnant mothers drinking alcohol.

Mothers who drank moderate amounts of alcohol during the pregnancy had children with much higher IQs than teetotal pregnant mothers.

Smoking tobacco during the pregnancy had very little effect on the child’s intelligence, Dr Theodore found.