Researchers from the University of Copenhagen explored whether taking fish oil during pregnancy could influence the health of children later on. The findings indicated an association between prenatal fish oil supplementation and higher risks of metabolic issues and overweight in children up to age ten. The results were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN). (Citations: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.)
The study enrolled 736 pregnant women who were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group around 24 weeks of gestation. Participants in the intervention group were instructed to take 2.4 grams per day of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids from fish oil as a dietary supplement. Those in the control group received a placebo with a matching appearance and dosage.
Supplement use ceased one week after birth. Following the trial, researchers entered an observation phase that lasted roughly ten years, tracking both mothers and their children. Health data were collected for 688 children, with 341 from the intervention group and 347 from the control group.
At the ten-year mark, children whose mothers had taken fish oil showed a higher body mass index compared with peers in the control group. They also faced an elevated risk of being overweight. A body composition assessment revealed that these children had greater muscle and fat mass than those whose mothers did not take fish oil during pregnancy.
Additionally, the study found an association between prenatal fish oil intake and an increased risk of metabolic syndrome in childhood, a cluster of conditions linked to obesity, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular risk. These findings contribute to the ongoing discussion about prenatal nutrition and long-term child health outcomes. (Citations: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.)