“Does Nutrition Affect Cognitive Development in Childhood?”
Does Nutrition Affect Cognitive
Development in Childhood?
Extended Project Qualification 2025
1
, “Does Nutrition Affect Cognitive Development in Childhood?”
Table of Contents
Abstract....................................................................................................................3
An Introduction to my EPQ........................................................................................3
Literature Review......................................................................................................4
Chapter 1: The Role of Key Nutrients in Cognitive Development..........................5
Chapter 2: The Significance of the ‘Critical Period’ in Cognitive Development.....7
Chapter 3: The influence of maternal nutrition on prenatal cognitive
development.........................................................................................................9
Chapter 4: Challenging the dominance of nutrition in an offspring’s brain
development.......................................................................................................12
Conclusion..............................................................................................................14
Evaluation...............................................................................................................15
Reference List.........................................................................................................17
Bibliography............................................................................................................19
2
, “Does Nutrition Affect Cognitive Development in Childhood?”
Abstract
This project will explore the link between nutriton and cognitive development during the early years of life. It will
explore how dominant the environmental factor of nutrition is when it has an influence on a child’s developing
brain, and if there are confounding factors that are more significant. This has been a heavily researched area that
has sparked a debate in both the psychology and nutrition sectors, which has encouraged a well-balanced
argument that has examined the many contributing factors. In the end, the conclusion was drawn that nutriton is
not only crucial, but essential to support the key cognitive processes that are required for a healthy brain to
develop and be sustained in the long term.
An Introduction to my EPQ
Can a child’s future interactions with the world really be shaped before they’ve taken their first steps… or breath?
Whether its ‘in utero’ or post-birth, a child’s brain undergoes changes that rapidly forms their ability to
communicate and interact with the world around them. Cognitive development is a fundamental period in a child’s
life, and is heavily influenced by environmental factors. The ‘critical periods’ during cognitive development, create
the foundations for how a child’s brain will operate in the future. There are many environmental factors that play
key roles in establishing these key components in development, with nutrition being such a vital component in it.
The title of my project, ‘How does nutrition affect cognitive development in childhood?’, was chosen to investigate
how a child’s diet (including what their mother ate during pregnancy) can be influential on how their brain
develops. This was inspired by my interest in Psychology, a subject I study at A-level. I have always been fascinated
by how a child’s brain develops, and how early life experiences and environmental factors can have such an impact
on how their brain develops. Alongside this, for a while I have had an interest in nutrition, and how what we eat
has such an impact on our mental and physical health. These two areas interlinked very well and sparked my
curiosity and led me to question how much of a child’s cognitive outcomes are influenced by what they or their
mothers consume in their early life. As I began my research, I discovered that many studies had been done on this
topic, deepening my interest which made me want to explore whether nutrition is truly as influential in
development as its made out to be; or if other environmental factors play a greater role. This is a controversial
debate in science; if it is the most significant factor, or if it is the only factor affecting brain development for
children.
I chose to specifically focus on ‘childhood’ due to the fact that cognitive development is such a broad area,
spanning from prenatal life all the way through to adulthood. By refining my research to early childhood, it meant I
was able to explore the stage in a child’s life from where development is most sensitive and critical for laying the
foundations for future cognitive skills. This specific window allowed me to make the research more targeted and
manageable for the project.
I aim to address that nutrition is in fact a crucial influence in cognitive development, in childhood. I have set myself
key objectives to address throughout my dissertation to ensure I can assess and evaluate both sides of the
argument to come to a valid conclusion. Firstly, my dissertation will identify and explain the biological functions of
the key nutrients in brain development and I will briefly cover the consequences of deficiencies in these nutrients
during their early life; and how this impacts the brain of a child during growth. Then I will also evaluate how
different nutrients interact with the ‘critical periods’ of brain development and investigate the publics awareness of
the vulnerable state a child’s brain endures; I am hoping to include some primary research as evidence for my
3
Does Nutrition Affect Cognitive
Development in Childhood?
Extended Project Qualification 2025
1
, “Does Nutrition Affect Cognitive Development in Childhood?”
Table of Contents
Abstract....................................................................................................................3
An Introduction to my EPQ........................................................................................3
Literature Review......................................................................................................4
Chapter 1: The Role of Key Nutrients in Cognitive Development..........................5
Chapter 2: The Significance of the ‘Critical Period’ in Cognitive Development.....7
Chapter 3: The influence of maternal nutrition on prenatal cognitive
development.........................................................................................................9
Chapter 4: Challenging the dominance of nutrition in an offspring’s brain
development.......................................................................................................12
Conclusion..............................................................................................................14
Evaluation...............................................................................................................15
Reference List.........................................................................................................17
Bibliography............................................................................................................19
2
, “Does Nutrition Affect Cognitive Development in Childhood?”
Abstract
This project will explore the link between nutriton and cognitive development during the early years of life. It will
explore how dominant the environmental factor of nutrition is when it has an influence on a child’s developing
brain, and if there are confounding factors that are more significant. This has been a heavily researched area that
has sparked a debate in both the psychology and nutrition sectors, which has encouraged a well-balanced
argument that has examined the many contributing factors. In the end, the conclusion was drawn that nutriton is
not only crucial, but essential to support the key cognitive processes that are required for a healthy brain to
develop and be sustained in the long term.
An Introduction to my EPQ
Can a child’s future interactions with the world really be shaped before they’ve taken their first steps… or breath?
Whether its ‘in utero’ or post-birth, a child’s brain undergoes changes that rapidly forms their ability to
communicate and interact with the world around them. Cognitive development is a fundamental period in a child’s
life, and is heavily influenced by environmental factors. The ‘critical periods’ during cognitive development, create
the foundations for how a child’s brain will operate in the future. There are many environmental factors that play
key roles in establishing these key components in development, with nutrition being such a vital component in it.
The title of my project, ‘How does nutrition affect cognitive development in childhood?’, was chosen to investigate
how a child’s diet (including what their mother ate during pregnancy) can be influential on how their brain
develops. This was inspired by my interest in Psychology, a subject I study at A-level. I have always been fascinated
by how a child’s brain develops, and how early life experiences and environmental factors can have such an impact
on how their brain develops. Alongside this, for a while I have had an interest in nutrition, and how what we eat
has such an impact on our mental and physical health. These two areas interlinked very well and sparked my
curiosity and led me to question how much of a child’s cognitive outcomes are influenced by what they or their
mothers consume in their early life. As I began my research, I discovered that many studies had been done on this
topic, deepening my interest which made me want to explore whether nutrition is truly as influential in
development as its made out to be; or if other environmental factors play a greater role. This is a controversial
debate in science; if it is the most significant factor, or if it is the only factor affecting brain development for
children.
I chose to specifically focus on ‘childhood’ due to the fact that cognitive development is such a broad area,
spanning from prenatal life all the way through to adulthood. By refining my research to early childhood, it meant I
was able to explore the stage in a child’s life from where development is most sensitive and critical for laying the
foundations for future cognitive skills. This specific window allowed me to make the research more targeted and
manageable for the project.
I aim to address that nutrition is in fact a crucial influence in cognitive development, in childhood. I have set myself
key objectives to address throughout my dissertation to ensure I can assess and evaluate both sides of the
argument to come to a valid conclusion. Firstly, my dissertation will identify and explain the biological functions of
the key nutrients in brain development and I will briefly cover the consequences of deficiencies in these nutrients
during their early life; and how this impacts the brain of a child during growth. Then I will also evaluate how
different nutrients interact with the ‘critical periods’ of brain development and investigate the publics awareness of
the vulnerable state a child’s brain endures; I am hoping to include some primary research as evidence for my
3
