TY - JOUR

T1 - Plasma vitamin B12 concentration is positively associated with cognitive development in healthy Danish 3-year-old children: the SKOT cohort studies

AU - Larnkjær, Anni

AU - Christensen, Sophie Hilario

AU - Lind, Mads Vendelbo

AU - Michaelsen, Kim F.

AU - Mølgaard, Christian

N1 - CURIS 2022 NEXS 030

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Adequate vitamin B12 (B12)and folate concentrations are essential for neural development in early childhood but studies in well-nourished children are lacking. We investigated the relation between plasma B12 and folate at 9 and 36 months and psychomotor development at 36 months in well-nourished Danish children. Subjects from the SKOT cohorts with B12 measurement and completed Ages and Stages Questionnaire, 3rd edition (ASQ-3) at 36 months were included (n=280). Dietary intake, B12 and folate concentrations were collected at 9 and 36 months, and ASQ-3 was assessed at 36 months. Associations between vitamin B12 and folate at 9 and 36 months and ASQ-3 were analyzed using regression models. Associations between diet and vitamin B12 were also investigated. No children had insufficient B12 (<148pmol/L) at 36 months. B12 at 36 month was positively associated with total ASQ-3 corresponding to an increase of 100 pmol/l B12 per 1.5 increase in total ASQ-3 score (P = 0.019) which remained significant after adjustment for potential confounders including 9 months values. B12 at 9 months or folate at any time point was not associated with total ASQ-3. Intake of milk products was associated with B12 at 36 months (P = 0.003) and showed a trend at 9 months (P = 0.069). Intake of meat products was not associated with B12. In conclusion, B12 was positively related to psychomotor development at 3 years in well-nourished children, indicating that the impact of having marginally low B12 status on psychomotor development in well-nourished children should be examined further.

AB - Adequate vitamin B12 (B12)and folate concentrations are essential for neural development in early childhood but studies in well-nourished children are lacking. We investigated the relation between plasma B12 and folate at 9 and 36 months and psychomotor development at 36 months in well-nourished Danish children. Subjects from the SKOT cohorts with B12 measurement and completed Ages and Stages Questionnaire, 3rd edition (ASQ-3) at 36 months were included (n=280). Dietary intake, B12 and folate concentrations were collected at 9 and 36 months, and ASQ-3 was assessed at 36 months. Associations between vitamin B12 and folate at 9 and 36 months and ASQ-3 were analyzed using regression models. Associations between diet and vitamin B12 were also investigated. No children had insufficient B12 (<148pmol/L) at 36 months. B12 at 36 month was positively associated with total ASQ-3 corresponding to an increase of 100 pmol/l B12 per 1.5 increase in total ASQ-3 score (P = 0.019) which remained significant after adjustment for potential confounders including 9 months values. B12 at 9 months or folate at any time point was not associated with total ASQ-3. Intake of milk products was associated with B12 at 36 months (P = 0.003) and showed a trend at 9 months (P = 0.069). Intake of meat products was not associated with B12. In conclusion, B12 was positively related to psychomotor development at 3 years in well-nourished children, indicating that the impact of having marginally low B12 status on psychomotor development in well-nourished children should be examined further.

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - Early childhood

KW - Vitamin B12 status

KW - Development

KW - Cognition

KW - Folate

U2 - 10.1017/S0007114521004888

DO - 10.1017/S0007114521004888

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34913420

VL - 128

SP - 1946

EP - 1954

JO - British Journal of Nutrition

JF - British Journal of Nutrition

SN - 0007-1145

IS - 10

ER -