Increased intake of Omega-3 fatty acids improves children’s reading and behaviour

A new study by the University of Oxford has shown that daily supplements of omega-3 fatty acids (Docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA) improved the reading and behaviour of underperforming children in mainstream primary schools. The researchers worked with children aged between seven and nine who had underperformed in standardised reading tests.

The research suggests that DHA supplementation is a simple and effective way to improve reading and behaviour in healthy but underperforming children. DHA is a key omega-3 fatty acid found in fish and seafood, but in this study the source was algae, making it suitable for vegetarians.
The DHA Oxford Learning and Behaviour (DOLAB) study, which compared daily supplements of omega-3 DHA with placebo.

According to Dr Alex Richardson, a senior research fellow at the Centre for Evidence-Based Intervention at Oxford University, "Our results showed that taking daily supplements of omega-3 DHA improved reading performance for the poorest readers (those in the lowest fifth of the normal range) and helped these children to catch up with their peer group."

Paul Montgomery, professor of psychosocial intervention at the Centre for Evidence-Based Intervention at Oxford University, says, Previous studies have shown benefits from dietary supplementation with omega-3 in children with conditions such as ADHD, dyslexia and developmental coordination disorder, but this is the first study to show such positive results in children from the general school population."

The researchers worked with Oxfordshire County Council's Education Department to identify 362 healthy children from mainstream state schools in Oxfordshire, aged between seven and nine, who underperformed on a standardised reading test.

The treatment was a fixed dose of 600 mg / day of omega-3 DHA from algal oil. For 16 weeks, the school provided the capsules to the children on school days with the parents giving them to their children at all other times.