Do You Have Children? Fish Oil Should Feature Prominently In Their Diet.
Science has understood the benefits of omega 3 essential fatty acids for some time and these benefits extend to the health of our children. Omega 3 fatty acids are as important in the diet of our children as it is in the diet of adults, and right from conception.
You find Omega 3 essential fatty acids in fish oil. Kids are just like adults. They have a minimum requirement for levels of omega 3 in their diet to ensure adequate development and health. The importance of omega 3 in children has now been underscored by the release of a study from the University of Wollongong’s School Of Health Sciences in Australia. In this study it was found that Australian children were hugely deficient in omega 3. Children in the US will be no different.
The study discovered that the average intake of Omega3 fats in children of 3 years was 47 milligrams which was described by the professor undertaking the study as “desperately low”.
There are 2 very important essential fatty acids found in fish oil called DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). These are the fatty acids known as omega 3. Children in the US and Australia have way too little of these essential fats in their diet. This inadequate intake of omega 3 in children has health implications for the healthy development of our kids.
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 it’s not just the brain development of our children that is negatively affected by a low intake of omega 3. Kids have a range of other developmental and health issues, all of which can benefit from increasing their intake of fish oil. Kids with inadequate levels of omega 3 have a higher risk of asthma, slower brain development, slower visual development, in some cases lower IQ and also an increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as well as other health issues.
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.
I supplement the diet of my own children with omega 3 fish oil capsules. When they were too young to take capsules it was a simple matter to cut the top off the capsules and pour that fish oil on their breakfast. They don’t even know 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.
However not all Omega 3 capsules are as good as others. There are many issues relating to the quantity of DHA present in the capsules, the freshness of the fish oil used, (fish oil oxidizes quickly) and the effectiveness of the fatty acids.
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 health benefits of Fish Oil? Or more about Omega 3 Children? Visit Peter’s Website Healthy Omega 3 Fish Oil.
