Plasma vitamin B 12 concentration is positively associated with cognitive development in healthy Danish 3-year-old children: the SKOT cohort studies

• Published in: British journal of nutrition Vol. 128; no. 10; pp. 1946 - 1954
• Main Authors: Larnkjær, Anni, Christensen, Sophie H., Lind, Mads V., Michaelsen, Kim F., Mølgaard, Christian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 28.11.2022
• Subjects: Child, Preschool; Cognition; Cohort Studies; Denmark; Folic Acid; Humans; Vitamin B 12; Vitamin B 12 Deficiency; Vitamins; Denmark; Early childhood; Development; Cognition; Folate; Vitamin B12 status
• ISSN: 0007-1145; 1475-2662
• DOI: 10.1017/S0007114521004888

Adequate vitamin B 12 (B 12 ) 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 B 12 and folate at 9 and 36 months and psychomotor development at 36 months in well-nourished Danish children. Subjects from the SKOT cohorts with B 12 measurement and completed Ages and Stages Questionnaire, 3rd edition (ASQ-3) at 36 months were included ( n 280). Dietary intake, B 12 and folate concentrations were collected at 9 and 36 months, and ASQ-3 was assessed at 36 months. Associations between B 12 and folate at 9 and 36 months and ASQ-3 were analysed using regression models. Associations between diet and B 12 were also investigated. No children had insufficient B 12 (<148 pmol/l) at 36 months. B 12 at 36 month was positively associated with total ASQ-3 corresponding to an increase of 100 pmol/l B 12 per 1·5 increase in total ASQ-3 score ( P = 0·019) which remained significant after adjustment for potential confounders including 9 months values. B 12 at 9 months or folate at any time point was not associated with total ASQ-3. Intake of milk products was associated with B 12 at 36 months ( P = 0·003) and showed a trend at 9 months ( P = 0·069). Intake of meat products was not associated with B 12 . In conclusion, B 12 was positively related to psychomotor development at 3 years in well-nourished children, indicating that the impact of having marginally low B 12 status on psychomotor development in well-nourished children should be examined further.