Omega 3 May Improve Test Scores in Children

Venice, FL (PRWEB) August 26, 2011

The study will be conducted by AMBO Foods, makers of the Omega Cookie, and will focus on how omega 3 from broad spectrum fish oil increases the testing scores of pre-collegiate students at The Larsen Learning Center. Also to be studied is the impact of omega 3 on the attention span of the students.

In 2009, AMBO foods conducted a pilot study that focused on pediatric patients who were having difficulty concentrating and who had been diagnosed with attention-deficit disorder. During the study, children suffering from poor concentration ate the Omega Cookie for breakfast over a period of six weeks. Using the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test before and after the six-week trial, researchers tracked the childrenâ€™s progress and found that those who consumed the Omega Cookie for breakfast had a 50% reduction in mistakes.

Studies released last week indicate that children with learning difficulties often have low levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which supports the findings of AMBO Healthâ€™s 2009 pilot study. In Australia, a group of 75 children, ages 7 to12, underwent cognitive assessments. Students with higher levels of omega 3 EPA/DHA (marine sourced fatty acids) reported less anxiety and better word recall compared to children with high omega-6 levels (the type of fats found in fast food and processed foods) who had measurable attention deficits that correlated to lower reading and spelling levels.

The study from Australia is just one of several reports indicating that omega-3 with EPA and DHA found in fatty fish and fish oil are important for good cognitive functioning. The long and uniquely flexible omega 3 EPA /DHA chains are indispensable for the proper nutrient exchange across the cell membrane and help with the transmission of signals in the brain.

“I’m really interested in seeing how the Omega cookie affects my students. Test scores don’t always reflect ability. Sometimes bright students who know the material lose focus before the end of a timed test … If the Omega cookie can extend a student’s ability to stay on task, higher test scores are the likely result! I’m excited to see whether our results reflect the same improvement seen in the Australian study,” said Patty Larsen, owner of The Larsen Center in Sarasota.

â€œIt was important to us that we did not just add fish oil to a food that had no other redeeming nutritional value,” said Dr. Chalmers. â€œWe created a product with not only superior omega-3 fatty acid nutrition, but also other essential nutrients.â€

Besides the 2000mg of EPA and DHA, which is the equivalent of seven capsules of fish oil, Omega Cookie contains as much soluble fibers (from oats) as a bowl of oatmeal. The cookie is made with all-natural ingredients, including vitamin D3, calcium and dried fruits or chocolate chips (depending on the flavor).

â€œSince many students (and adults) donâ€™t like eating fatty fish or swallowing lots of fish oil capsules, the Omega Cookie is a delicious way to help increase studentsâ€™ omega 3 levels,â€ said Dr. Chalmers. “The convenience of grabbing an Omega Cookie on-the-go allows even the busiest students to find time for smart test-scoring nutrition.”

Source:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21828168

J Child Health Care. 2011 Aug 9. [Epub ahead of print]

Polyunsaturated fatty acids, cognition and literacy in children with ADHD with and without learning difficulties.

Milte CM, Sinn N, Buckley JD, Coates AM, Young RM, Howe PR.

Nutritional Physiology Research Centre, University of South Australia, Australia.

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