LONDON, March 2 (Xinhua) -- New research revealed Friday by academics from Birmingham and Oxford found no evidence that Omega-3 fish oil supplements help aid or improve the reading ability or memory function of underperforming school-children.
The university said its findings are in contradiction to an earlier study using the same supplement.
In the second high-quality trial of its kind the researchers found an entirely different result to an earlier study carried out in 2012, which showed the supplement was found to have a beneficial effect on the reading ability and working memory of school children with learning needs such as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).
In the new study researchers tested children in the bottom quarter of ability in reading, and found that fish oil supplements did not have any or very little effect on their reading ability or working memory and behaviors.
The team from the universities of Birmingham and Oxford tested 376 British children aged 7-9 years old, learning to read, but in the bottom quarter in terms of their ability.
Professor Paul Montgomery from the University of Birmingham, who led the research said: "We are all keen to help kids who are struggling at school and in these times of limited resources, my view is that funds should be spent on more promising interventions. The effects here, while good for a few kids, were not substantial for the many."
Dr Thees Spreckelsen from the Department of Social Policy and Intervention at the University of Oxford, co-author of the report said: "Fish oil or Omega-3 fatty acids are widely regarded as beneficial. However, the evidence on benefits for children's learning and behavior is clearly not as strong as previously thought."
