Smoothie Program for Achieving and Resilient Kids

Starting soon · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Executive Functions (EF), Microbiome, Dietary Quality

In brief

The proposed study will examine whether eating yogurt every day can improve brain and gut health in children. Prior research suggests that yogurt may support cognitive functions like self-control, but more studies are needed to confirm this. The study will follow 60 children from Central Pennsylvania, ages 8 to 10, who will be randomly assigned to drink either fruit juice (control group) or yogurt smoothies once or twice a day for four weeks. Researchers will compare how different amounts of yogurt affect children's thinking skills (like memory and focus), brain activity, and gut bacteria. These changes will be measured through brain scans, computer-based thinking tasks, surveys, and stool samples. The study will also collect information about children's overall diet. The goal is to find out if yogurt can support healthy brain and gut development and to determine the right amount to include in a child's daily diet. Results will help guide future research on how nutrition supports children's health.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07195474

Run by

Penn State University

People needed

60

Starts

2026-05-01

Expected to finish

2028-09-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-05-20

Who can join

Age: 7 and older, up to 9. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Children should be of good health, without presence of any metabolic, gastrointestinal, or developmental disorders (e.g., ADHD, autism, etc.).
• Children should not be taking medications that impact appetite or cognitive function.
• Children must be willing to consume and report liking the fermented dairy smoothie.
• Children should be between the ages of 7-9 years-old at enrollment.
• Children should speak English fluently.

You may not qualify if…

• They are not within the age requirements (< 7 years-old or > 9 years-old) at baseline.
• They have known emotional or cognitive delays, so that we can be assured that they understand the procedures.
• They do not speak English fluently.
• They have parentally reported medical problems that affect the digestive system or ability to eat yogurt (e.g., lactose intolerance, food allergies, Crohn's disease, Celiac disease, Esophagitis) and/or are taking a prescription medication that may affect appetite (e.g., Ritalin, methylphenidate, Adderall XR, Concerta, Vyvanse, etc.).
• They are not from families of rural communities (assessed by National Center for Education Statistics local classifications).
• Their parent is unable to attend the study visits.

Where it is running

• Metabolic Kitchen and Children's Eating Behavior Lab — State College, Pennsylvania, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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