Swedish study links diet, school grades

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OREBRO, Sweden, July 28 (UPI) -- Swedish researchers say young people whose diet is high in folate, the natural alternative to folic acid, are more successful in school.

A study headed by Torbjorn Nilsson, a professor in biomedicine at Orebro University in eastern Sweden, compared folate intake and school grade performance among 15-year-old students and found an "evident" connection, The Local reported Wednesday.

Folate is found in vegetables, fruit and berries, as well as juice and wholegrain bread, liver and beans.

"The brain and cognitive abilities continue to develop during adolescence, but no previous study has examined [how] dietary intakes of folate affects the study abilities of young people," the researchers said.

The study underlines the importance of good school food and mealtime habits in the home, they said.

However, the researchers said, they were not able to make any concrete conclusions as to which qualities are most affected by folate, noting "there are many factors that affect results in school."

The study was published in the journal Pediatrics.