Healthy eating: fish omega-3s help lung and bronchial function in children

Salmon is one of the richest fish in Omega 3. Starting to consume it before 9 months of age reduces the risk of suffering from respiratory distress in preschool children. This was shown in a study published in the journal Acta Pediatrica, in which researchers from the University of Gothenburg and the Paediatric Outpatient Clinic in Mölndal, Sweden, analyzed the benefits of introducing fish early in the diet of young children. According to the authors, the effect of a fish-enriched diet is contrary to that of exposure to paracetamol during pregnancy or taking antibiotics in the first week of life, which, instead, increase the likelihood of going through this disorder even several times in a year.

Omega-3 and breathing disorders in childhood

The benefits of Omega-3s on children's respiratory health has been demonstrated by several research studies. Consumption of high amounts of fish, a food rich in Omega-3, by pregnant women reduces the risk of children developing allergic-type disorders, such as rhinitis, eitherasthma. Experts say the latter effect is due to the influence exerted by these nutrients on inflammation mechanisms and immune responses. The Swedish research adds new details to the protective role played by Omega-3s towards the respiratory system in children, extending it to the wheezing that can affect preschoolers.

Omega-3 against respiratory distress

The study involved 4,171 families, who were asked about the nutrition and health status of their little ones at ages 6 months, 1 year, and 4 1/2 years. Analysis of the data collected revealed that 1 in 5 children suffer from at least one episode of respiratory distress per year and that 1 in 20 toddlers deal with this disorder 3 or more times in 12 months. Delving deeper into the study, the researchers found that taking antibiotics in the first week of life doubles the risk of suffering from recurrent respiratory distress by age 4 1/2 years. Similar findings apply to children whose mothers took acetaminophen during pregnancy. In these toddlers, in fact, the risk of suffering from respiratory distress at preschool age increases by 60 percent. In contrast, those children who start eating fish before 9 months of age are almost half as likely to suffer from respiratory distress at 4 1/2 years of age. The study also found that among the fish most often introduced into the diets of these toddlers is salmon, one of the species richest in Omega-3.

More Omega-3s for healthy lungs

Based on these data, the research authors concluded that while children exposed to acetaminophen or antibiotics have an increased risk of suffering from recurrent respiratory distress, fish has a protective role against the development of this disorder. Among the fish showing these benefits is salmon, a species rich in omega-3 fatty acids. According to Emma Goksör, lead author of the research, population analyses conducted during the study indicate that the findings can be extended to the entire population.  

Source 

1. Goksör E, Alm B, Thengilsdottir H, Pettersson R, Aberg N, Wennergren G, "Preschool wheeze - impact of early fish introduction and neonatal antibiotics," Acta Paediatr. 2011 Dec;100(12):1561-6