Intervention Study Investigating the Effect of a Phospholipid Drink on Cognitive Performance in 6-8 Year Old School Children

A randomised, double blind, placebo controlled study with parallel groups investigating a 6 week intervention in 6-8 year old school children of phospholipid containing milk drink vs. placebo milk drink. Participants were familiarised with the test battery and IQ (Wechsler abbreviated scale of intelligence) and colour blindness (Ishihara test) measurements were taken prior to the intervention. Milk drink taste testing and milk preference selection was also carried out prior to the intervention. The test battery was administered at baseline (week 0), midpoint (week 3) and endpoint (week 6), and the milk intervention was given Monday - Friday at school shortly before their mid-morning break over a 6 week period. This study design, including both the test days and morning milk supplementation, was intended to emulate the children's normal routine as far as possible. The milk drink was a supplement to the children's usual diet.

Inclusion criteria

• Male or female, aged 6-8 years.
• Willingness to consume milk drinks during the study determined by a score of >5 on a taste testing Likert scale for at least one flavour of the milk drinks.
• Ability to follow verbal and simple written instructions in English.
• Normal vision, with appropriate corrective lenses if required.
• Ability to understand cognitive testing instructions and responding requirements.

Exclusion criteria

• Poor general health.
• Colour blindness.
• Behavioural difficulties or attention disorders (e.g. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).
• Learning disabilities that interfere with the ability to understand written or verbal communications.
• Inability to understand the objective of the cognitive tests, or carry out the tests.
• Any food allergies or intolerances (e.g. lactose intolerance).
• Acute illness, or feelings of unwell, within the week prior to testing.
• Current administration of any psychotropic medication or supplementation in the month prior to testing, or during testing.
• Hearing impairment that precludes the ability to follow verbal instructions.
• Children already receiving milk at school unless parents are willing to substitute current milk with the study milk.