How different milk and yogurt types affect thinking and mood in kids
Interaction Between Milk and Yogurt and Gastrointestinal Hormone Response on Cognitive Performance in School-Aged Children
This study will test whether drinking milk or eating yogurt with different fat and protein levels helps thinking, attention, and mood in healthy 9–14-year-olds over two hours.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 48 (estimated) |
| Ages | 9 Years to 14 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Toronto Metropolitan University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Toronto, Ontario) |
| Trial ID | NCT07231146 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Researchers will run a randomized, within-subject experiment where each child completes two sets of sessions: one with milk test treatments and one with yogurt test treatments. On separate mornings in random order children will consume full-fat, low-fat, no-fat, or skip the snack, and cognitive tests plus blood glucose and gastrointestinal hormone measures will be taken at 0, 30, 60, and 120 minutes. Cognitive domains assessed include learning and memory, spatial working memory, attention, processing speed, and executive function, alongside subjective emotion ratings. The design aims to link short-term cognitive changes to gut-hormone responses after dairy intake.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Healthy children aged 9 to 14 years with normal weight (5th–85th percentile) who have no dairy or relevant food allergies, no diagnosed learning/emotional/behavioral disabilities, and are not taking medications that affect cognition are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Children who are overweight or obese, have dairy or gluten allergies, have diagnosed learning/emotional/behavioral disabilities, or take medications that influence cognitive performance are unlikely to be eligible or benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could show that certain milk or yogurt compositions briefly boost attention, memory, or mood in school-age children and inform simple dietary choices for better classroom performance.
How similar studies have performed: Some adult studies have shown short-term cognitive effects of meals and links to gut hormones, but this specific randomized within-subject dairy-focused approach in children is relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * 9 to 14 years of age; * Normal weight is defined as being between the 5th and 85th percentile for age and biological sex at birth according to the Centers for Disease Control growth reference charts Exclusion Criteria: * Children with overweight/ obesity; * Children with food sensitivities or allergies to dairy, gluten or any foods used in the study; * Children with any diagnosed learning, emotional, or behavioural disabilities; * Children taking any medications that may influence cognitive performance.
Where this trial is running
Toronto, Ontario
- Toronto Metropolitan University — Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Nick Bellissimo, PhD — Toronto Metropolitan University
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.