Eating fish during pregnancy may lower the risk of allergies in kids

Updated on: 01 November,2016 01:51 PM IST |
IANS |

Women who consume oily fish during pregnancy or during breast-feeding may decrease the risk of their children developing food allergies, asthma, eczemas or hay fever, researchers have found

London: Women who consume oily fish during pregnancy or during breast-feeding may decrease the risk of their children developing food allergies, asthma, eczemas or hay fever, researchers have found.

The findings have showed that children introduced to fish and eggs – a major source of omega 3 fatty acids -- before 11 months of their age had a lower risk of developing allergies.

"Fish intake in the family seems to reduce the risk of allergies," said Karin Jonsson from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, in a statement.

Kids who eat fish, eggs and flour early in life were found to have less allergies, as they had higher levels of omega-3 in their blood.

The results showed that at birth, and again at four months of age, the healthy children had higher proportions of the omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA, in their blood.

"The levels corresponded with the mother's intake of fatty fish. The mothers of children with high proportions of omega-3 in the blood had been eating a lot of fish during pregnancy and lactations, and we could also see evidence of this in their breast milk," Jonsson explained.

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