Is DHA also important in preschool children, who are at their most rapid stage of learning development?
The first study to evaluate the impact of DHA on cognitive function in preschool children was published in the May issue of Clinical Pediatrics. The double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that preschool children who had higher blood levels of DHA through supplementation performed better on a listening comprehension and vocabulary test. Healthy four-year-old children were given a daily DHA supplement of life’sDHA of 400 mg for four months. Cognitive function was measured using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, which requires children to select a picture representing the meaning of a word presented orally by the examiner. This test is associated with the prediction of school success. The study results suggest that increasing blood DHA levels in pre-school children through supplementation may improve listening comprehension and vocabulary.
