‘The Japanese death rate from coronary heart disease is very low and may be due to their lifelong consumption of oil-rich fish’

“Six times eight is 48. Six times nine is 54…” Mrs Kuiper drones on. 
Mark squints at the chalkboard. He tries hard to burn the white digits into his memory. It’s a beautiful day outside. “I wonder if dad will play cricket with me later…” he thinks.
Mrs Kuiper stands in front of the figures on the board. “Mark, what is six times eight?”
Mark’s mind is a blank. He doesn’t know the answer. He thought he knew a moment ago but now he doesn’t. That’s because Mark suffers from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

ADHD is a growing problem among children and adolescents, with most of the sufferers being boys. The good news is that a recent study conducted by the University of Milan reported that a supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids can minimise the effects of ADHD.
Their study involved 16 adolescents who had been diagnosed with ADHD. Each of the participants received a fish oil supplement for eight weeks.

Once the eight weeks were up their inattention scores dropped significantly.
Omega-3 is found in oily fish such as salmon, anchovies, sardines, and mackerel, and also in leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale and broccoli. Unfortunately most kids turn up their nose to a dinner of baked salmon on a bed of spinach. It’s a good thing you can give them an omega-3 supplement everyday though.

According to new findings from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, Omega 3 is not only useful in aiding children with attention span problems. It can also help slow cognitive decline in older patients with very mild Alzheimer’s disease. They conducted a study of 32 patients who all had mild cognitive impairment. Those of the group who took the fatty acids experienced less decline in six months compared with those who took a placebo.

The benefits don’t end there, there are two omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils that benefit the cardiovascular system. They are docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). The best sources of DHA and EPA are fatty coldwater fish. The Japanese are well aware of this; their death rate from coronary heart disease is very low and may be due to their lifelong consumption of oil-rich fish. According to research reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, people living in Japan have twice the blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids. This finding was linked to the country’s low levels of atherosclerosis, the disease that hardens the arteries.

Back to the Western diet, Parkinson’s disease is a common neurological disorder and it is estimated that about one person in 300 is affected by it. The disease is caused by the accelerated death of the neurons responsible for producing dopamine, the neurotransmitter closely linked with movement control. At the moment there is no medication available to prevent the onset of the disease.

There is, however, a supplement you can take. You guessed it; according to a study done by Université Laval researchers, omega-3 fatty acids protect the brain against Parkinson’s disease. This is the first study to demonstrate the protective effect of a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids against Parkinson’s. And, while there is not enough conclusive evidence to support the fact that omega-3 helps with depression, going out for sushi a couple of times a week may be a great way to improve your mood—especially when you pair it with an uplifting glass of bubbly.

Text by Malu Lambert, Photography C&D Heierli