A British-led study has determined that consuming omega-3 fatty acids may lessen the chances of developing asthma in children.
Conducted by researchers at the Queen Mary University of London, the new research gathered data from a UK birth cohort.
Among children aged 7, the study analyzed the use of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) at that age, by using food frequency questionnaires. The data of the food intake was then evaluated along with incidences of asthma cases at the subsequent age of 11-14.
As published in the European Respiratory Journal: “We aimed to investigate whether a higher intake of EPA and DHA from fish in childhood is associated with a lower risk of incident asthma.”
“In children with a common FADS variant, higher intake of EPA and DHA from fish in childhood was strongly associated with a lower risk of incident asthma up to mid-adolescence,” the findings state.
Although the findings do not state with certainty that consuming more fish could prevent children from developing asthma, there is, however, a strong possibility that poor diet can in fact heighten the risk of developing asthma.
“Whilst we cannot say for certain that eating more fish will prevent asthma in children, based on our findings, it would nevertheless be sensible for children in the United Kingdom to consume more fish, as few currently achieve recommended intake,” said a senior author of the study in a news release.
