Taking fish oil supplements during pregnancy is associated with an increase in lean and bone mass in children in the first six years of life, that may contribute to better growth and development.
- Fish oil supplements in pregnancy may be beneficial for your child's growth and development
- Taking fish oil supplements during pregnancy is associated with an increase in lean mass and bone mass in children in the first six years of life
So a team of researchers based in Denmark and the UK set out to examine the effect of taking fish oil supplements during pregnancy on the growth and body composition of children later in life.
The trial involved 736 pregnant women from the Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood study who were randomized to receive n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) (fish oil) or olive oil (control) daily from week 24 of pregnancy week until one week after birth.
Height, weight, head, and waist measurements were assessed 11 times from birth to age six years and adjusted for age and sex. These revealed a sustained higher BMI from 1 year to 6 years of age.
Body composition was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans at 3.5 and 6 years of age and demonstrated that the higher BMI was not the result of a higher fat percentage, but reflected a proportional increase in lean mass, bone mass, and fat mass, suggesting that the fish oil supplementation had a general growth stimulating effect.
The researchers conclude: "The body composition at age six years in children given fish oil supplementation was characterized by a proportional increase in lean, bone, and fat mass suggesting a general growth stimulating effect."