The Child & Family Research Institute says that the typical North American diet of lots of meat and not much fish - creating a lack of omega-3 fatty acids - may pose a risk to infant neurological development. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in some fish such as salmon and herring and in smaller amounts in eggs and chicken. The Institute believes the discovery is an important step towards developing dietary fat guidelines for pregnant and breastfeeding women. "Omega 3 fatty acids are important for the baby's developing eyes and brain," says Dr. Sheila Innis, the study's principal investigator. "During pregnancy and breastfeeding, fat consumed by the mom is transferred to the developing baby and breastfed infant, and this fat is important for the baby's developing organs. Our next task is to find out why the typical North American diet puts mothers at risk."
Reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the study found that the women who ate lots of meat and little fish were deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, and their babies didn't do as well on eye tests as babies from mothers who weren't deficient. The results were noticeable as early as two months of age. The study is ongoing as the researchers intend to follow the children's development until four years of age.
"For better health, it's important for pregnant and nursing mums - and all of us - to eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, eggs, and fish while minimizing consumption of processed and prepared foods," concluded Dr. Innis.
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Source: Child & Family Research Institute
