Author: Joe Fowler
Time for reading: ~1
minutes
Last Updated:
August 08, 2022
It is important that the child's diet is strictly consistent with factors such as growth, formation of systems and organs and development of mental activity.
Docosahexaenoic acid, which is part of omega-3 fatty acids , improves reading and arithmetic skills in children.
Researchers from Oxford University for 16 weeks monitored the health and mental abilities of 3627 children aged 9 years. At the beginning of the study, they encountered some difficulty in reading and arithmetic.
The children are divided into two groups. The former was given 600 mg of docosahexaenoic acid daily for a period of 16 weeks and the latter a placebo .
Docosahexaenoic acid is derived from algae, the primary source of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish .
After the end of the study, the researchers found that the children in the first group significantly improved their reading skills . Teachers say that they have not only improved their results, but are also more focused and there is a reduction in anxiety and worry, typical for students at this age.
Previous studies have found that taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements has a beneficial effect on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder .
Docosahexaenoic acid is a polyunsaturated essential fatty acid that is used by almost all cells in the human body . However, it does not synthesize it, which is why obtaining it is extremely important for good health, especially in childhood. Acid plays an important role in vision and brain function . And improving vision allows for more reading, experts say.
Beneficial acid can be obtained through the consumption of oily fish , such as salmon and sardines.
It is important that the child's diet is consistent with factors such as growth, formation of systems and organs and development of mental activity, experts say.