NUTRITIONAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF COGNITIVE STATUS AND SELF-ESTEEM AMONG SCHOOLCHILDREN IN THE URBAN AREA OF KENITRA (MOROCCO)

Abstract

Low cognitive performance and low self-esteem can be influenced by nutritional factors, such as dietary deficiencies, as well as socio-economic aspects including the level of education and economic status. These elements can interact in complex ways, contributing to variations in cognitive performance and self-es- teem. It is important to consider all aspects of mental and physical health to fully understand this relationship.A sample of 174 urban schoolchildren, aged between 15 and 19, and hailing from modest socio-economic backgrounds, participated in the study. They underwent a cognitive test (the Raven test) to evaluate their intellectual induction abilities. Additionally, a questionnaire was administered to gauge their socio-economic status. Nutritional status was assessed through various indices, including weight, height, and indicators such as weight-for-age, height-for-age, and emaciation. Self-esteem was measured using the French translation of Pelham and Swann’s self-assessment questionnaire, completed by the students.Neurocognitive abilities exhibited significant correlations with gender, mathematical performance, nutritional status, and the educational level of mothers. Conversely, self-esteem demonstrated correlations with parental education levels and the presence of emaciation.The results of this study highlight a significant relation between malnutrition and neurocognitive abilities, as well as self-esteem in schoolgirls. These findings suggest that nutritional management could play an essential role in preventing self-esteem problems and cognitive difficulties among schoolchildren.