What is Omega 3?
Omega 3s are "good fats" which are essential to the health of our bodies. But because the body is unable to manufacture them on its own, they must therefore be obtained via a healthy balanced diet.
Oily fish is the richest dietary source of omega 3 essential fatty acids but only a third of the UK eat oily fish on a regular basis and even then, the amount consumed does not reach the governments minimum recommendation of 2 portions a week.
The most important of the omega 3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA bestow wide spread benefits throughout the body, especially to the heart and joints, helping to reduce inflammation, and decrease the risk of heart disease. They also both play a significant role in maintaining cognitive health, and more recently; scientific research has implicated them as a key nutrient to help improve childhood learning and behaviour.
How can it benefit my child?
Recent research using daily omega 3 supplements indicated that Omega 3 fish oils can help to improve concentration and reduce disruptive behaviour to positively benefit learning. Omega 3 supplements have also been used successfully to help improve learning in those children suffering from ADHD and dyslexia.
These positive results should come as no surprise, as the omega 3 fatty acid DHA is one of the most important components of the brain. Found within the brain cell membranes, it facilitates the passage of electrical signals from one brain cell to another and research has shown that brain cells whose membranes are rich in DHA seem to communicate more quickly with each other. When DHA is in short supply, other fatty acids are incorporated into the membranes, making them more rigid and consequently slowing the passage of messages between cells.
DHA is especially vital in the first few years of a child's development. Making up 10% - 15% of the weight of a baby's cerebral cortex DHA is extracted by the placenta from the mother's own blood and concentrates them in her baby's circulation. As a result, a baby's levels of DHA are twice as high as his mother's. It is thought that the effects of omega 3 early on in life may last throughout childhood.
It can often be hard for parents to include omega 3 fats in their child's diet as many children refuse to eat fish. And even if they do, the rising level of pollution and heavy metals found in our oceans has caused concern for many parents about the safety of fresh fish for their children. Many nutritional experts therefore suggest purified concentrated fish oil supplements as a good alternative and much more palatable source of Omega 3 fatty acids which children can look forward to taking.
An Expert Opinion
"Omega 3 is likely to be useful in brain building in young children, developing their intellectual ability in the early years at school." - Dr Thomas Stuttaford
"Increasing evidence suggests omega 3 fish oils are important for improving children's learning ability and behaviour." - Dr Sarah Brewer
"It has been demonstrated that access to essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) early in life is important for intellectual development during the first years, and that it can also have an impact on IQ, school abilities and academic performance up to the age of 18." - Dr Morten Bryhn
"Low levels of DHA in the brain have been linked with memory loss, mood swings and conditions such as dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism." - Dr Sarah Brewer
"For normal development of intellectual capacity, vision and skills, a combination of the omega-3 fatty acids is indicated. However, for children with diagnosed ADHD, a high-EPA omega-3 concentrate should be tried in combination with behavioral therapy and reduction of sugar intake." - Dr Morten Bryhn
For more articles and information on Omega 3 for children visit omega3forchildren.co.uk