BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity is a significant, worldwide challenge disrupting various body organs including the brain. Studies suggest that nuts, rich in nutritional compounds, can improve cognitive function. This study aimed to investigate the effects of consuming nuts on improving cognitive and executive function in obese children. METHODS: In this randomized parallel clinical trial, ninety 8 to 10-year-old girls with obesity were divided into intervention (30 g of nuts/daily) and control groups (no nuts) for 8 weeks. Furthermore, the Wechsler Four (WISC-IV) questionnaire assessed children's cognitive function, and executive function was assessed by the behavior rating inventory of executive function (BRIEF) parental questionnaire. Linear mixed-effect models were done to survey the effects of nut intake on cognitive and executive function. RESULTS: Forty people with a mean age of 9 ± 0.7 years from each group cooperated to the end of the study. The intervention group showed a significant improvement in the total Wechsler score (differences: 23.1, 95% CI: 17.5, 28.7
P CONCLUSION: These results underline the potential of nut consumption as a dietary intervention to improve cognitive function over an eight-week period, highlighting its role in supporting brain health and cognitive development of obese children.