Every parent wants the best for their child, and, as such, many are willing to go to great lengths to support their physical, mental and psychological development. There are countless pregnancy and parenting books that weigh in on the best ways to improve your child’s IQ scores, for example, but amidst all of the occasionally contradictory advice, it can be difficult to discern the best way to promote your little one’s brain health.
Recently, though, a doctoral student from New York University led a study to essentially sort through existing research and determine some of the most effective ways of facilitating healthy child development. According to a press release from the academic institution, John Protzko and his team, with the help of professors from NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, sought to create an accessible database for information regarding the best nutrition for the brain.
“For too long, findings have been disconnected and scattered throughout a wide variety of journals. The broad consensus about what works is founded on only two or three very high-profile studies,” said Protzko. “The larger goal here is to understand the nature of intelligence, and if and how it can be nurtured at every stage of development.”
Upon reviewing various studies on factors that may influence the cognitive development and intelligence of children ranging from newborns to kindergartners, the researchers established a link between consuming more omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy or as a newborn and a bump in the child’s IQ scores by as much as 3.5 points later on.
Omega-3 fatty acids can be derived from fish and other foods, or consumed via fish oil and other nutritional dietary supplements. Click here for information about our omega-3 fatty acid supplements.