For some years now science has understood the health benefits of omega 3 essential fatty acids. It is now clearly established that these benefits are equally important for the health of our children. Omega 3 fatty acids are just as important in the diet of our kids, or even more so, than in the diet of adults. And this requirement for omega 3 fats begins at conception.
Omega 3 essential fatty acids are primarily found in fish oil. Kids, like adults, have a minimum requirement for levels of omega 3 essential fats in their bodies for proper and healthy development. This has now been emphasised by a new study from the University of Wollongong’s School Of Health Sciences in Australia which has concluded that Australian children are highly deficient in omega 3. Children in America and the rest of the developed world will be the same.
In this study it was found that 3 year old children had an average intake of omega 3 essential fats of 47 milligrams and the professor who undertook the study described this intake as “desperately low”.
The 2 essential fatty acids that are commonly found in fish oil are DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). And it is well known that the levels of these essential fatty acids in adults in the US are way too low. This now applies to children. Omega 3 levels in our children are also way too low and there are a range of health implications from this.
In fact Prof Meyer said in her study that omega 3 levels in children should be supplemented during pregnancy. She noted that DHA and EPA, and in particular DHA, was essential to brain development in the fetus and that adequate levels of DHA were very important during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. Equally she noted that brain development was exceedingly important during the first 2 years of an infants life and that during this time the infant also had high demands for DHA. Clearly there are requirements right from conception for higher levels of omega 3 in children.
A child cannot supplement its diet own with omega 3. Children have these decisions made for them by their parents. Parents should consider increasing their own intake of fish oil as well as increasing the amount of fish oil in children’s diets because their own health and the health of their kids depends on it.
And the development of a child’s brain is not the only health issue negatively impacted by inadequate levels of omega 3. Kids have a wide range of health issues many of which can benefit from increasing their intake of fish oil. Kids with levels of omega 3 that are too low exhibit an increased risk of asthma, lower IQ as established on IQ tests, poor visual development, slower brain development and an increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to name a few.
Clearly there are important children’s health issues at stake here. It is simple to increase the intake of omega 3 in children’s diets. Of course it is always possible to increase their intake of fish however fish is very expensive, is generally contaminated with mercury and is not well liked by children.
In fact I supplement the diet of my own children with omega 3 fish oil capsules. If children are too young to take capsules it is a simple matter to cut the top off and pour the fish oil onto their breakfast. Children are not even aware that the fish oil is there.
Parents should be aware that the decisions they make about their children’s diet affects their children’s development. This includes establishing an adequate intake of essential fatty acids in their diet. This can safely, cost effectively and easily be achieved by the mother taking Omega 3 supplements during pregnancy and then adequate omega 3 supplementation in children during infancy and thereafter. Omega 3 supplementation by breastfeeding moms even increases the levels of DHA in mothers milk.
Not all fish oil capsules are the same quality and you need to understand that there are differences between them in the freshness of the fish oil used, the amount of DHA present in the capsules and the effectiveness of the essential fats.
On my website I explain which omega 3 capsules I use for my own children (and myself). Visit my website to find out.
Want to know more about the benefits of Fish Oil? Or more about Children Omega 3 needs? Visit Peter’s Website Healthy Omega 3 Fish Oil.
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