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Fish will save from asthma
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Children who have fish in the diet are less likely to develop bronchial asthma in the future. However, this works provided that the child ate fish in the first year of life. Dutch scientists say that eating after the first 12 months of life does not give such a result.
The results of the scientists are based on the observation of more than 7,000 children in the Netherlands. Scientists suggest that this effect is achieved due to the influence of certain fatty acids contained in fish and able to protect against the development of bronchial asthma.
The lead author of the study, Jessica Kifte-de-Jong from the Erasmus Medical Center Medical Center in Rotterdam, said that the introduction of fish into the baby's diet in the period from six to twelve months can protect the baby from the possible risks of developing bronchial asthma.
Some parents, worrying for the appearance of a possible allergic reaction in the child to marine products, do not give children fish and postpone the "familiarity" of the baby with seafood at a later date.
Children born between 2002 and 2006 in Rotterdam were supervised by scientists. Of the 7,210 children, 1,281 tried fish in the first six months of life, 5,498 in the second half a year of life, and 431 did not eat fish in the first year of life in general, and tried the seafood already after the lapse of the first year of life.
After four years, the specialists conducted an examination of all the children involved in the experiment, and also listened to the complaints of their parents, who were disturbed by the wheezing of children and shortness of breath.
About 45% of parents, whose children did not eat fish in their first year of life, told that their children were tormented by frequent wheezing and breathing problems. Similar problems were observed in the children of those parents who first tried fish in the period from six months to a year, but they were significantly less - only 30%.
According to scientists, children who used fish before the first six months were exposed to the same level of risk as those kids who first tried fish after a year. Therefore, experts came to the conclusion that a small amount of fish can be useful for babies, but the most successful period for this is from six to twelve months.
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