Omega-3s In Pregnancy Prevent Infantile Hyperactivity
The mother’s diet is decisive for the correct development of the child’s brain. It is important to include foods rich in omega-3s during pregnancy.
The so-called “attention deficit hyperactivity disorder” (ADHD) is controversial. Some experts consider that it is simply an invented disease and others think that, at least, it is overdiagnosed and that drug treatment is not a solution.
In any case, there are many aspects that influence the development and behavior of a person. And more and more evidence is being discovered that the gestational stage and the first years of life are crucial. The consumption of omega-3 fatty acids could be one of the determining factors.
Omega-3s reduce the risk of hyperactivity in the child
Research carried out at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) has found feeding the developing fetus with an adequate proportion of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids can reduce the risk of behavioral disturbances.
Therefore, the mother’s diet during pregnancy can be an effective way to prevent disturbances.
According to the study, published in The Journal of Pediatrics, the researchers found that the higher the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in umbilical cord samples, the greater the likelihood that the child would show symptoms associated with ADHD by 7 years of age.
Specifically, for each point increase in the ratio of omega-6 over omega-3, the risk increased by 13%. These data are statistical and refer to the study of a population or group. That is, the examination of fatty acids in the umbilical cord does not serve to predict with certainty that the alteration will occur. But if a population is exposed to high omega-6 ratios, the diagnoses of problems in children will increase.
Inflammatory omega-6s take the place of omega-3s
Dr. Mónica López, leader of the study, explains that the two types of fatty acids are obtained from the diet and are incorporated into cell membranes. If there is a deficit of omega-3, its place is taken by omega-6.
However, they do not give the same to each other, since omega-6s promote an inflammatory state and, on the contrary, omega-3s are anti-inflammatory. This imbalance can profoundly affect a complex and particularly vulnerable organ such as the brain.
The research involved the collaboration of 600 families from Asturias, Catalonia, Valencia and the Basque Country. The scientists took plasma from the umbilical cords and the mothers had to answer a series of questionnaires about their eating habits. They also completed questionnaires to determine the existence or not of alterations at 4 and 7 years of age. These questionnaires were also answered by the children’s teachers.
More foods rich in omega-3
The study draws attention to the importance of the mother’s diet. In general, in most European countries an excess of omega-6 is consumed (in proportion 16 to 1 with omega-3, due to the ingestion of margarines and seed oils (corn and sunflower) that are used in fried foods, pastries and snacks.
Nutritionists consider the appropriate ratio to be between 1: 1 and 4: 1 maximum. To get there, if you follow a plant-based diet, you need to reduce your intake of vegetable oils from seeds and increase your servings of foods rich in omega-3s, such as flax seeds and oil, walnuts and chia.
