Folate Levels Linked to Teen Academic Success

OREBRO, SwedenTeenagers who consume higher amounts of dietary folate, a B vitamin found in foods such as green leafy vegetables, legumes and oranges, have higher academic scores compared to teens with lower levels, according to a new study published in the journal Pediatrics.

Researchers at Orebro University Hospital conducted the study on 386 15-year-olds during a time when Sweden did not fortify foods. The sum of school grades in 10 core subjects obtained in the final semester of compulsory nine years of schooling was used as outcome measure of academic achievement. Teens who consumed the most folic acid from foods such as leafy green vegetables and legumes scored grades of 139 out of 200 on average compared to 120 for those kids in the bottom third for folic acid consumption.

The results provide new information that point to the importance of keeping a closer watch on folate status in childhood and adolescence. They also may have implications for school meal provisions, school teaching programs, and information to parents.