Omega-3 - Omega-3 and health

 

The role of long-chain omega-3 acids in the cerebral development of the fœtus and the child is now well established. Premature babies require special care, as they cannot call on reserve adipose tissue. These reserves generally build up in the last three months of pregnancy and the brain content of the neonate increases 3 to 5 times during that period, then again by the same proportion in the first three months of life.

Omega-3 acids are essential to the cerebral developments of neonates, and an unbalanced supply can cause changes in visual functions.
Breast-fed children and those receiving milk with added polyunsaturated fatty acids appear to be better at solving problems and learning language, compared with children receiving milk that does not contain polyunsaturated fatty acids (Agostini, Trojan et al. 1995; Willatts, Forsyth et al. 1998).

 

Children who have difficulties in attending and learning such as dyslexia seem to have lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids than others (Burgess, Stevens et al. 2000; Taylor, Higgins at al. 2000). An English study suggests that an appropriate supplement of omega-3 fatty acids can improve their behaviour and cognitive functions. (Richardson, Calvin et al. 2000; Richardson and Ross 2001).

 

Many children have poor powers of concentration. They are not capable of concentrating on one task, and when they take part in activities, they get bored. They are always looking for something else to do. As they cannot conform to social norms, such children rarely do well in an academic environment.

These behavioural disorders are called attention-deficit disorder (ADD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADD and ADHD affect between 3% and 6% of children.
The exact cause of ADD and ADHD is not known to the scientific and medical community. ADD/ADHD is multidimensional and many factors interact to cause these behavioural symptoms.

Studies on children at nursery school have demonstrated the importance of DHA in the diet for learning (Carlson and Werkman 1996; Werkman and Carlson 1996).
A recent study looked at biochemical and clinical factors, and suggested that a deficiency in polyunsaturated fatty acids could contribute to the appearance of various symptoms of these behavioural disorders (Richardson and Puri 2002).