Docosahexaenoic acid levels in erythrocytes and their association with the University Selection Test Outcomes in Chile.

Rodrigo Valenzuela, Cynthia Barrera, Yasna Orellana, Atilio Almagià, Violeta Arancibia, Cristián Larraín, Claudio Silva, Pablo Billeke, Francisco Zamorano, Víctor Martínez, Alfonso Valenzuela, Daniza Ivanovic

Journal: Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids 2019;139():25-30

PMID: 30471770

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

The aim of this study was to quantitate the relative impact of DHA and AA levels in erythrocytes, anthropometric parameters and socio-economic status of school-age children, of both genders, graduated from high school in Chile, on the scholastic achievement in the University Selection Test (Prueba de Selección Universitaria, PSU) both language scholastic achievement (LSA) and mathematics scholastic achievement (MSA). A representative sample of 671 school-age young graduated from high school in 2013, 550 and 548 of them took the PSU for LSA and MSA, respectively. Only school-age young with high (n = 91) and low (n = 69) SA in both tests were considered. A total of 122 school-age children agreed to participate in the study and were divided as follows: Group 1: high PSU outcome (n = 70; males n = 48) and Group 2: low PSU outcome (n = 52; males n = 23). Data were analyzed by means of SAS software. Independently of gender, DHA, socio-economic status and head circumference-for-age Z-score were the most relevant parameters explaining both LSA (R= 0.650; p < 0.0001) and MSA outcomes (R= 0.700; p < 0.0001). These results can be useful for nutrition, health and education planning, in order to protect children starting from an early age and thus increase their school outcomes.

Address: Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.; Laboraroty of Nutrition and Neurological Sciences, Human Nutrition Area, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology Dr. Fernando Monckeberg Barros (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.; Laboratory of Physical Anthropology and Human Anatomy, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile.; Center for Research in Education and Learning, Universidad de Los Andes, Santiago, Chile.; Radiology Department, Facultad de Medicina-Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile.; División de Neurociencia, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social (neuroCICS), Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile.; División de Neurociencia, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social (neuroCICS), Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile; Unidad de Imágenes Cuantitativas Avanzadas, Departamento de Imágenes, Clínica Alemana de Santiago, Santiago, Chile.; Department of Commercial Engineering, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.; Laboraroty of Nutrition and Neurological Sciences, Human Nutrition Area, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology Dr. Fernando Monckeberg Barros (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago, Chile. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/j.plefa.2018.11.003

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MeSH Terms: Academic Success, Adolescent, Cephalometry, Child, Chile, Docosahexaenoic Acids, Erythrocytes, Female, Humans, Male, Socioeconomic Factors, Universities