Omega 3 supplements safeguard the heart and arteries of low birth weight children

The benefits of Omega 3 for the heart and artery health of low birth weight children have been discovered. According to a study by the Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise and Eating Disorders in Camperdown (Australia), published in the journal Pediatrics, the intake of these fatty acids in the first 5 years of life can prevent the thickening of vessels typical of those born too small. The authors of the research, led by Michael Skilton, concluded that low birth weight children can benefit from daily Omega-3 supplementation, which protects them from the risk of heart attack or stroke as adults.

Low birth weight children: early health problems?

Children born with low birth weight have a higher chance of facing health problems even as newborns. Beyond the disorders that may manifest in the first weeks of life, there are also phenomena that can compromise the health of these small children when they become adults. This is the case with arterial wall thickening, a process that begins during childhood in these individuals and increases the risk of developing heart and blood vessel diseases. Indeed, increased vessel wall thickness is an indicator of atherosclerosis, the presence of deposits that can obstruct blood flow and cause strokes, heart attacks, and other serious cardiovascular problems. Currently, no strategy is known to prevent this phenomenon in those born with low birth weight. However, Skilton and colleagues discovered that hope could lie in Omega-3 fatty acids, nutrients already known for their benefits on the cardiovascular system of adults.

Omega-3 protect children’s hearts

To reach this conclusion, scientists conducted a study on 616 children born in Sydney, where the arterial health was monitored until age 5. Half of the children involved in the research took 500 mg per day of fish oil, a supplement rich in these nutrients, until that age. The other children received an equal amount of sunflower oil supplement instead. When all the children reached 8 years old, doctors analyzed the thickness of their artery walls. It was discovered that among all children, those born with low birth weight who had received the sunflower oil supplement had thicker vessel walls. In contrast, children with low birth weight who were given fish oil rich in Omega-3 showed no signs of arterial wall thickening. Specifically, according to data collected by the Australian scientists, in low birth weight children who do not take Omega-3, the arterial walls are 0.041 millimeters thicker per kilogram of birth weight.

Continued confirmation for healthier hearts and children

The results obtained by Skilton and colleagues add new details to the benefits of Omega-3 for the cardiovascular system. This discovery also confirms that these fatty acids are valuable nutrients not only for adults but also during childhood.  

Source

1. Skilton MR, Ayer JG, Harmer JA, Webb K, Leeder SR, Marks GB, Celermajer DS, “Impaired Fetal Growth and Arterial Wall Thickening: A Randomized Trial of Omega-3 Supplementation”, Pediatrics. 2012 Feb 20. [Epub ahead of print]