Recruiting

Dairy & Cognition

Sponsor:

Toronto Metropolitan University

Code:

NCT07231146

Conditions

Children

Healthy

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 9 - 14

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

Fat-Free Milk

Low-Fat Milk

Full-fat Milk

Snack Skipping

Fat-Free Yogurt

Study Details

Brief summary:

The purpose of this study is to investigate the short-term effects of milk and yogurt of varying fat and protein content on cognitive performance in healthy children aged 9 - 14 years; and to provide insight into mechanisms by which dairy consumption may affect cognitive performance through gastrointestinal (GI) hormone responses. The investigators hypothesize that the consumption of dairy products, specifically their protein and fat components, will improve cognitive performance via its interaction with the gut-brain axis in children. Furthermore, the investigators hypothesize that all milk and yogurt products will enhance cognitive performance over 120- mins compared to snack skipping through its interaction with GI hormones, with a greater effect in higher fat containing milk and yogurt products.

Conditions

Children

Healthy

Study ID

NCT07231146

Start date

Nov 15, 2025

Status verified date

Dec, 2025

Completion date

Oct, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Oct, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 9 - 14

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

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.

Study Design

Enrollment

48 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Crossover

Primary purpose

Prevention

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Fat-Free Milk Treatment

Test Treatment

experimental: Low-Fat Milk Treatment

Test Treatment

experimental: Full-Fat Milk Treatment

Test Treatment

experimental: Snack Skipping Treatment

Test Treatment

experimental: Fat-Free Yogurt

Test Treatment

experimental: Low-Fat Yogurt

Test Treatment

experimental: Full-Fat Yogurt

Test Treatment

Interventions

Fat-Free Milk

Fat-free milk (500 mL, skim, 0%, Lactantia PurFiltre) will provide 180 kcal, 0.4 g fat, 26 g carbohydrate, and 18 g protein. Treatments matched for calories (180 kcal).

Low-Fat Milk

Low-free milk (346 mL, 2%, Lactantia PurFiltre) will provide 180 kcal, 6.9 g fat, 16.6 g carbohydrate, and 12.5 g protein. Treatments matched for calories (180 kcal).

Full-fat Milk

Full-free milk (281 mL, 3.25%, Lactantia PurFiltre) will provide 180 kcal, 9.0 g fat, 13.5 g carbohydrate, and 10.1 g protein. Treatments matched for calories (180 kcal).

Snack Skipping

Snack skipping (no caloric contribution).

Fat-Free Yogurt

Fat-free Yogurt (242.3 g, Oikos High Protein Vanilla; 0% MF) will provide 180 kcal, 0 g fat, 20.8 g carbohydrate, and 23.5 g protein. Treatments matched for calories (180 kcal).

Low-Fat Yogurt

Low-fat Yogurt (210.0 g, Oikos Original 2% MF) will provide 180 kcal, 3.6 g fat, 21.6 g carbohydrate, and 15.6 g protein. Treatments matched for calories (180 kcal).

Full-Fat Yogurt

Full-fat Yogurt (185.3 g, Oikos Extra Creamy Vanilla 9% MF) will provide 180 kcal, 15.9 g fat, 21.2 g carbohydrate, and 6.4 g protein. Treatments matched for calories (180 kcal).

Primary outcome measure

  • Learning and short-term memory [ Time Frame: Immediate measured at 30-minutes post-treatment and delayed at 60- and 120-minutes post-treatment consumption ]
  • Spatial working memory [ Time Frame: Change from baseline (measured at 0-minutes before treatment) and at 30-minutes, 60-minutes and 120-minutes post-treatment consumption ]
  • Sustained Attention [ Time Frame: Change from baseline (measured at 0-minutes before treatment) and at 30-minutes, 60-minutes and 120-minutes post-treatment consumption ]
  • Executive Function [ Time Frame: Change from baseline (measured at 0-minutes before treatment) and at 30-minutes, 60-minutes and 120-minutes post-treatment consumption ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Locations

Toronto Metropolitan University

Recruiting

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5B 2K3

Contacts

Nick Bellissimo

416-979-5000nick.bellissimo@torontomu.ca

More Information

Sponsor

Toronto Metropolitan University

Last update posted

Dec 9, 2025

Last verified

Dec, 2025

Keywords

  • Cognitive Performance
  • Dairy
  • Gastrointestinal Hormones
  • Emotions
  • Mood

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Toronto Metropolitan University on 2025-12-09.