Obesity affects kids’ brain power, hits academics

CUT THE FLAB London: Overweight children are more likely to struggle with academics because being obese can affect their brain power, a new study has found. Researchers from the New York University found that children showing physical changes due to being obese, such as high blood pressure, higher levels of bad cholesterol and resistance to the blood sugar controlling hormone, insulin, had poorer scores on thinking tests, the Telegraph said.      The study compared 49 children with metabolic syndrome, a collection of at least three health problems associated with obesity which can include a large waist, low good choelsterol, high blood fats, high blood pressure and insulin resistance which is a pre-cursor to type 2 diabetes.      The researchers concluded that even a few years of problems with metabolism may cause brain complications. The study found that those classified as having metabolic syndrome showed significantly lower mathsand spelling scores, as well as decreased attention span and mental flexibility.      Maths scores were ten points lower on average in the metabolic syndrome group and spelling scores were four points lower. There was also a tendency towards lower overall IQ but memory  was not affected.      They also found differences in brain structure and volume, with the metabolic syndrome groups showing a smaller hippocampus which is involved in the learning and recall of new information, and other changes. The children were all from similar socio-economic backgrounds, the same age and at the same school grade. PTI