Food and Behaviour Research (FAB)
NEW CHILDREN'S RESEARCH STUDY
Can Omega-3 help children's mood,
attention, behaviour or sleep?
> Register Your Interest <
No formal diagnoses are needed for a child to take part.
Our aim is to find out if supplementing children with the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA (from fish oils) really can help children who have difficulties with mood, behaviour and/or attention to feel better, behave better, and learn better.
Previous studies of these omega-3 have already shown benefits for children with one or more of the following kinds of difficulties (whether these are mild/moderate or severe):
- ADHD – hyperactive and/or impulsive behaviour, attention and concentration problems
- Autism Spectrum Disorders – poor social skills, communication and/or behaviour problems
- Anxiety and Mood Disorders – difficulties with emotional self-regulation, sensitivity to stress, low mood and/or mood swings
Preliminary evidence also shows that supplementing these omega-3 may improve:
- Sleep problems – including difficulties getting to sleep, waking up on time in the morning, and/or night-time sleep disturbances
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All of these kinds of difficulties very often overlap in the same child. And improvements in one area, such as sleep, may help to improve others, like mood and anxiety - or vice versa.
A major aim of this study is therefore to find out how supplementation with omega-3 may affect each of these areas – and their interactions with each other – as well as children’s wellbeing in general.
IMPORTANTLY
- All measures can be completed ONLINE
- Supplements are delivered by post, so no travel is required
- The study is open to children living anywhere on the UK mainland
It is open to children who have at least some difficulties in one or more of the areas described above, and who are:
- aged between 6 and 12,
- generally in good health
- willing and able to take a food supplement for 12 weeks (This involves taking 3 small capsules daily with food. Guidance and tips on how to achieve this are available if needed.)
If you’d like more information, please register your interest below and we'll be in touch.
Please help us if you can:
- by simply sharing details of this new study with parents, teachers, psychologists, GPs, social workers - or anyone else you may know who has – or who works with - children aged 6-12 years who have any difficulties with behaviour, mood, learning or sleep.
- please let us know via this feedback form
Register Your Interest
Would you like to know more about this study?
Provide your details below and we'll be in touch to answer any questions you may have and guide you through the process.
We'll also include you in our e-alerts which include a range of free factsheets and infographics providing helpful and informative resources in a pocketsize form.
Feedback from families who have taken part in this study
"Wow... is all we can say... if my son has been given the placebo we'd be very surprised as we've seen such a change in his behaviour, he's still very hyper but we've seen a huge change his concentration and focus span, his teachers and family members have all commented on the difference in him."
"Thank you so much, we've certainly noticed an improvement in him. We're so grateful to have been given the opportunity to participate, he really enjoyed taking part."
"I think for us the biggest difference we've noticed since the start of the study is in his concentration levels, for example he's still very energetic and in a rush to get everywhere but when he's in the zone he'll happily sit for an hour or more building lego and working through instruction manuals something that we'd never imagined he'd have the patience to do."
"Only recently I saw the change in her. I found she is chattier, the difference in her eyes is unbelievable, her eyes are less dark underneath, the bags are really lightening up, it no longer looks like she has two black eyes and she’s falling asleep at a decent time, she is normally still awake at 12. She’s talking to us more too. She’s improved all over."
