Eat seafood linked to younger and more skilled children socially

Summary: Children who regularly eat seafood at 7 years have more positive social behavior – such as sharing, helping and interacting with goodness – at the age of 7 and 9 years, compared to those who rarely consume seafood. This finding, of a large study, following nearly 6,000 children, underlines the role of seafood in the support of behavioral and social development during childhood.

Researchers point out that seafood provide key nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, iodine and selenium, crucial for brain and behavioral health. Although fears concerning exposure to mercury have led some parents to limit the contribution of fish, experts highlight the advantages of consumption of two parts of weekly seafood prevail over potential risks.

Key facts:

• Prosocial boost: Children with higher seafood consumption have demonstrated many more prosocial behaviors.
• Nutritional advantages: Fish provides essential nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, iodine and selenium, crucial for brain development.
• Low arrangements: Most children in the study have consumed less seafood than the two portions recommended per week.

Source: University of Bristol

Children who consumed the least seafood at 7 years old were likely to be less “prosocial” at 7 and 9 years old than those who regularly consumed seafood, according to a new study. “Prosocial” behavior includes friendly interactions, altruism and sharing.

The new research of the University of Bristol reveals an association between the contribution of fish and the behavioral development of children. Sea fruits are a source of many crucial nutrients for children, including omega-3 fatty acids, selenium and iodine and a marker of a healthy lifestyle more generally.

The recommendation is that children should consume at least two parts of fish per week, one of them being a oily fish like salmon or mackerel.

The researchers used 5,969 questionnaire data from the participants in the study of children in the 90s, which has just received 5.2 million pounds sterling to continue to manage longitudinal pioneer research. The data was collected over a period of 2 years and was adjusted for social and demographic factors.

Most of the studies examining the link between seafood and cognition focused on consumption of fish during pregnancy and the impact on the baby.

Previous studies have called for more research on the contribution of fish in the children themselves, because the overall impact of the consumption of fish on the development of the brain of children is unclear.

Almost all children in the study did not consume enough seafood to reach the recommendations of the NHS. This may be due to the fact that experts previously warned parents that overconsumption of fish could increase the risk of exposure to pollutants such as mercury.

Prosocial behavior begins to develop when children are between 1 and 2 years old and generally develops in frequency and complexity as children grow. Encourage prosocial behavior is vital for a well functional society, stressing the importance of development of the beginning of life and the role of good nutrition in childhood.

In the study of children in the 90s, prosocial behavior was measured using parents’ questionnaires on their child at 7th and 9 years old.

The researchers also examined associations between the consumption of seafood at 7 years old and an IQ, but no link was found.

Dr. Caroline Taylor, associate professor in nutrition at the University of Bristol, said: “When there are contradictory advice, it can be difficult to know what is the best course of action. Our previous studies have shown that the consumption of fish during pregnancy in the United Kingdom can have a positive effect on the development of the child.

“This has also been found in countries where fish inputs are higher than they are here, therefore encouraging the consumption of fish is likely to have a positive effect on the development of the child.

“Our evidence to link fish consumption in children with the best behavioral development are clear, and we strongly recommend that parents provide at least two parts of fish per week in accordance with NHS directives.

“We hope that these research results allowed parents to give knowledge to give their children the best start in life.”

Children of the 90s, the source of data from this study, recently received 5.2 million pounds sterling to continue its pioneering health research on thousands of families in southwest England.

Funding: The study was founded in the early 1990s by Professor Jean Golding and contributed to more than 3,000 research articles. The new funding will allow the study to continue its pioneering research, emphasizing the third generation of participants.

About this regime and news of social research in neurodevelopment

Author: Joanne Fryer
Source: University of Bristol
Contact: Joanne Fryer – University of Bristol
Picture: The image is credited with Neuroscience News

Original search: Open access.
“The consumption of seafood in children at the age of 7 and the neurodevelopmental results in an observation cohort study (ALSPAC)” by Caroline Taylor et al. European Nutrition Journal

Abstract

Contribution of seafood in children at the age of 7 and neurodevelopmental results in an observation cohort study (Alspac)

Aim

Sea fruits are rich in other essential nutrients such as long -chain fatty acids, selenium and iodine that play an important role in neurodevelopment and cognitive function. The association between the contribution of seafood in childhood and the cognitive results has not been well evident. Our objective was to study the association between the contribution of seafood in children at the age of 7 and the cognitive and behavioral results at the age of 7 to 9 years.

Methods

Data on the intake of seafood was collected at the age of 7 in children registered in the longitudinal AVON study of parents and children (ALSPAC). The adjusted logistic regression was used to model the contribution of seafood with the chances of sub-optimal behavioral scores (questionnaire of strength and difficulties (SDQ)) measured at the age of 7 and 9 years and cognitive scores (Qi) at the age of 8 years.

Results

The lower consumption of seafood at the age of 7 (0 against ≥ 190 g / week) increased the chances of sub-optimal prosocial behavior measured by the SDQ to 7 years of 35% (or 1.35 (95% CI 1.10, 1.81), p= 0.042) and at 9 years by 43% (or 1.43 (95% CI 1.02, 1.99), p= 0.036). We have found no evidence of any association with IQ at 8 years old.

Conclusion

In a population in which the contributions of fish were lower than the national recommendations, our results illustrate the importance of the contribution of seafood in children on behavioral variables, in particular prosocial behavior. Additional research on the association of the contribution of seafood with a wider range of children’s neurodevelopment indicators will provide stronger evidence of the role of the contribution of seafood in cognitive development.