UK Disability Resource of Disabled Needs

School's fish oil study part of health report

TARA GREAVES

31 January 2008 06:45

A unique study involving Norfolk school children has helped to inform a wide-ranging report released yesterday on the benefits of fish oil.

The report, which looks at scientific evidence on whether or not mental health and performance can be affected by diet, makes recommendations including that pregnant women should eat at least two portions of oily fish per week to give children the best start in life.

Teachers from Eaton Hall School near Norwich went to the House of Commons in London to mark the launch of the cross-party parliamentary report, which has taken a year to compile.

Children from the school were given fish oil supplements for six months and staff noticed a positive effect on their behaviour.

The fish oil study is thought to have been the first of its kind at a special school and involved 38 boys last year.

Ian Gibson, Norwich North MP and vice chairman of the Associate Parliamentary Food and Health Forum, said: “It was an illuminating experience to hear from a wide range of scientists who have been studying the links between diet, mental health and behaviour. I was pleased that we were also able to hear from teachers at the grassroots level, such as those at Eaton Hall School in Norwich, who are trying to help children with behavioural problems. Headteacher Valerie Moore and her colleagues do an excellent job and it was very interesting to hear how they are using emerging evidence on diet and behaviour as one strand of their approach to supporting their pupils.”

The study is thought to have been the first of its kind at a special school and involved nearly all of the school's pupils.

Lianne Quantrill, project coordinator at the school, said: “We are very proud that the success of the study has been able to form part of the report.

“There is mounting evidence to suggest the benefits of taking fish oil supplements and we have seen that they can really work in helping to address behavioural issues.

“We hope to able to continue with what we have already learnt through this study and to learn more about the relationship between food and behaviour via this report.”

The report recommends that women should increase their intake of oily fish to help their unborn baby's brain develop.

The group also called for more research into the link between poor diet and crime rates, aggression, depression and poor school performance.

It wants the government to promote healthy breakfast clubs in schools and give children free breakfasts if they already get free lunches.

It also calls for a ban on E numbers and improved training for medical staff.

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jon has been taking iq fish oils for a few years now and i think they have definately helped with concentration and without a doubt his reading improved quite dramatically in the first few months of taking them.very good for excema and shiny hair too.

barbs

Thomas has them too but I am also lucky that my son begs (yes you are reading correctly) begs....for sardines

wow

sadly the only fish apart from the iq that jon has any interest in his goldlfish tom !!!

barbs