Researchers have found that consumption of omega-3 fatty acid supplement can possibly lessen disruptive and abusive behavior in Kids.
Improving child behavior could also lead to improvements in parent behavior. However no study has examined whether omega-3 supplementation in children could reduce intimate partner violence or child maltreatment by their adult caregivers, the researchers said.
“This is a promising line of research because omega-3 fatty acids are thought to improve brain health in children and adults,” said Jill Portnoy, Assistant Professor in the University of Massachusetts – Lowell, US.
“There is more to be learned about the benefits, but if we can improve people’s brain health, and behavior in the process, that’s a really big plus,” Portnoy added.
The research is an example of how biological and social factors can help explain and predict impulsive and risky behavior in children, he said.
For the study, published in the journal Aggressive Behavior, a group of 200 children were randomized to receive either a fruit drink containing 1 gm of omega-3 fats and a placebo group drank the same fruit drink without omega-3.
Caregivers of children in the omega-3 group reported long-term reductions in psychological aggression.
Improvements in adult psychological aggression were correlated with improvements in child externalizing behavior scores.
No differences were reported for child maltreatment.
