Hyderabad: In an age of technological advancements, the reading habit has taken a backseat among many children of school-going age leading often to poor academic performance.
This can lead to a host of problems in adulthood and the way to offset this is to have more DHA-fortified foods like fish, eggs, meat and, in case of vegetarians, algal-fortified supplements.
Such children may lack DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), a nutrient vital for brain development. Lack of DHA is linked to slower learning and lesser IQ, temper tantrums, aggressiveness, sleep problems and, in some cases, dyslexia.
A recent study by the University of Oxford showed the intake of algal or vegetarian DHA can significantly improve reading performance and behaviour among school-aged children.
"The DHA Oxford Learning and Behaviour (DOLAB) trial showed that taking daily algal DHA supplements improved reading performance for the worst readers and helped these children catch up with their peer group," said lead investigator Alex Richardson, Ph.D., senior research fellow at the University of Oxford and director of Food and Behaviour (FAB) Research.
"The study showed that dietary supplementation with DHA can improve the behaviour and attention of normal, healthy children, not just those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and related conditions," Richardson told IANS via e-mail.
DHA accounts for 97 percent of the brain's omega-3 fatty acids. According to nutritionists, oily or fatty fish are good sources of DHA. Supplements or foods fortified with algal DHA, derived from the algae the fish consume, can provide sufficient levels of DHA.
The study, funded by DSM Nutritional Products, was conducted on 362 healthy children with low reading scores within the 7-9 year age group from mainstream schools in Britain.
Nandita Iyer, a Bangalore-based nutrition and lifestyle counsellor, said school-going children should get some form of supplementation in the form of DHA-rich foods, or in case of vegetarians, algal DHA-fortified drinks.
