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Intelligence in infants influenced more by environment than DHA intake
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An infant’s intelligence may not be related to the amount of omega 3, docosahexaenoic acid intake either through breast milk or formula, according to researchers from the University of Southampton in England.
The researchers monitored 241 children from birth to 4 years old. They used the Wechsler Pre-School and Primary Scale of Intelligence to judge sentence repetition, visual–motor precision and verbal fluency. The goal was to find a correlation between test results relating to cognitive skills and the amount of DHA the children consumed since birth.
There seemed to be a correlation between DHA intake and intellect, but outside influences and family atmosphere — especially the mothers’ influence — were really the determining factor in intellectual development.
The researchers concluded that there was no relation to the amount of DHA the children consumed over time and the IQ of the children.
The researchers suggested that factors like the child’s living environment, the amount of mental stimulation a child receives and the quality of the mother’s education are more likely to have an effect on a child’s IQ.
“This study helps to dispel some of the myths surrounding DHA. We do know that there are clear health benefits to breast-feeding, but DHA, which is naturally present in breast milk and added into some formulas, is not the secret ingredient that will turn your child into an Einstein,” Catharine Gale, PhD, a study researcher from Southampton General Hospital, said in a press release.
Gale C. Arch Dis Child. 2010;doi:10.1136/adc.2009.165050.