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The Effect of Low and High-Carbohydrate Diets on Memory Performance in College Students

Author

• Samia Baugh, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
• Zoe Zajko, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
• Jamie Analuisa, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
• Ivanna Jacome, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow

Submission Date

4-4-2026

Document Type

Final Project

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition (BSHN)

First Mentor

Andrea Charvet, PhD, RDN, LDN

Keywords

high carb, low carb, nutrition, college students, diet quality, memory performance, memory test, dietary choices affect memory intake, glucose availability, dietary intervention, experimental study, cross-over design, nutrition and cognition, diet and memory, diet and academic outcomes, eating patterns in college, lifestyle factors, stress and memory, macronutrients, brain health, cognitive load, study performance, test performance, memory recall test, short-term recall, standardized memory test, cognitive assessment tools, dietary effects on brain, nutrition and learning, student nutrition habits, fast food consumption, snacking behavior, diet-related cognitive outcomes, glycemic index, glycemic load, energy intake, dietary patterns, eating habits, nutritional status, food choices

Abstract

Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for the brain and play an important role in processes related to memory performance. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of a low-carbohydrate diet compared to a high-carbohydrate diet on memory performance in college students aged 18–22 years. For the purposes of this study, a low-carbohydrate diet is defined as a diet providing fewer than 130 grams of carbohydrates per day, while a high-carbohydrate diet provides approximately 325 grams of carbohydrates. This population is particularly important to study because college students experience high academic demands that require strong memory performance. Additionally, college students often have irregular eating patterns and may follow popular diet trends, including low-carbohydrate diets, making them a relevant group for studying how carbohydrate intake may influence memory performance. This study will follow a cross-over experimental design in which participants will be assigned to either a low-carbohydrate or high-carbohydrate diet condition. After consuming the assigned meal, cognitive performance was assessed using a memory test administered approximately 60 minutes post-intake to evaluate short-term brain function. After two weeks, participants switched diet conditions and repeated the same testing procedure. The memory assessment used is the  MindCrowd Memory Test designed to measure memory performance across different populations. It is hypothesized that participants assigned to the high-carbohydrate diet will demonstrate significantly higher memory test scores compared to those assigned to the low-carbohydrate diet. The data obtained may provide valuable insight into future dietary recommendations for college students.

NSUWorks Citation

Samia Baugh, Zoe Zajko, Jamie Analuisa, and Ivanna Jacome. 2026. The Effect of Low and High-Carbohydrate Diets on Memory Performance in College Students. Capstone. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, . (47)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/hpd_com_nutrition/47.