MEDIA RELEASE –13 March 2008

Typical diet not best for mothers and babies - “Eat more fish” is expert advice

Diets high in red meat and low in fish may pose a risk to optimum brain development in babies.

Canadian scientists say new research shows the typical North American diet of eating lots of meat and not much fish is deficient in Omega-3 fatty acids and this may pose a risk to infant neurological development.

The scientists announced their results last Friday, saying: “This discovery is an important step towards developing dietary fat guidelines for pregnant and breastfeeding women.”

“Omega 3 fatty acids are important for the baby’s developing eyes and brain,” said Dr. Sheila Innis, the study’s principal investigator, head of the nutrition and metabolism program at the Child & Family Research Institute at British Columbia Children’s Hospital and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of British Columbia.

“During pregnancy and breastfeeding, fat consumed by the mum is transferred to the developing baby and breastfed infant, and this fat is important for the baby’s developing organs. Our next task is to find out why the typical North American diet puts mothers at risk. Then we can develop dietary recommendations to help women consume a nutritious diet that promotes optimal health for mums and babies.”

The researchers found women who ate lots of meat and little fish were deficient in Omega-3 fatty acids, and their babies did not do as well on eye tests as babies from mothers who were not deficient. The results were noticeable as early as two months of age. The study is ongoing, as the researchers intend to follow the children’s development until four years of age.

Mr Roy Palmer, the Australian link in Seafood Services Australia’s Global Seafood Health Network, a worldwide network researching and communicating information on the health benefits of seafood, said the results could also be applied in Australia, given the similarities between typical diets here and in North America.

Mr Palmer said “the Australian Government and health agencies should take note of the findings of the Canadian study, given the importance of healthy eating, especially in mothers and babies, and the increasing recognition of preventative health care required to reduce chronic health conditions affecting Australians of all ages.

And Dr Innis’ final word on the subject: “For better health, it’s important for pregnant and nursing mums – and all of us – to eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, eggs, and fish while minimizing consumption of processed and prepared foods.”

The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

FURTHER INFORMATION - Mr Roy Palmer 0419 528 733

The Canadian research was published in the March edition of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition See http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/87/3/548

For a copy of a media release on the project issued by the Child & Family Research Institute, see http://www.cfri.ca/aboutus/news/media/documents/CFRI_nutrition_Innis_JCN_mar07-08.pdf

Also see: Seafood Services Australia’s Seafood for Life website for more information on seafood and health.