Healthy Diet: Omega 3 from Fish Supports Lung and Bronchial Functions in Children

Salmon is one of the fish richest in Omega 3. Starting to consume it before 9 months of age reduces the risk of respiratory distress in preschool children. This was demonstrated by a study published in the journal Acta Pediatrica, where researchers from the University of Gothenburg and the Paediatric Outpatient Clinic of Mölndal (Sweden) analyzed the benefits of early fish introduction in young children's diets. According to the authors, the effect of a fish-enriched diet is opposite to the exposure to paracetamol during pregnancy or antibiotic use in the first week of life, which instead increase the likelihood of experiencing this disorder multiple times in a year.

Omega-3 and Childhood Respiratory Disorders

The benefits of Omega-3 on children’s respiratory health have been demonstrated by several studies. High fish consumption, a food rich in Omega-3, by pregnant women reduces the risk that children develop allergic-type disorders such as rhinitis and asthma. Experts attribute this latter effect to the influence of these nutrients on inflammation mechanisms and immune responses. The Swedish research adds new details to the protective role played by Omega-3 for the respiratory system of children, extending it to respiratory distress that can affect preschoolers.

Omega-3 Against Respiratory Distress

The study involved 4,171 families, who were asked for information on the children's diet and health status at 6 months, 1 year, and 4 and a half years of age. Data analysis revealed that 1 in 5 children suffers at least one episode of respiratory distress per year and that 1 in 20 experiences this disorder 3 or more times in 12 months. Further investigation showed that antibiotic use in the first week of life doubles the risk of recurrent respiratory distress at 4 and a half years old. Similar results were found for children whose mothers took paracetamol during pregnancy. In these children, the risk of respiratory distress in preschool age increases by 60%. Conversely, children who start eating fish before 9 months of age have almost half the risk of suffering from respiratory distress at 4 and a half years old. The study also found that among the fish most commonly introduced in these children’s diets is salmon, one of the species richest in Omega-3.

More Omega-3 for Healthy Lungs

Based on these data, the researchers concluded that while children exposed to paracetamol or antibiotics have a higher risk of recurrent respiratory distress, fish plays 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, the study’s lead author, the demographic analyses carried out during the study indicate that the results 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