Scientists from the University of Pennsylvania have shown that eating fish increases intelligence and improves sleep. The study was conducted among children, and its results were published by the Eurekalert portal.
Earlier studies have shown the effect of omega-3 fatty acids in fish on mental performance, but the link between increased intelligence and improved sleep has not been sufficiently studied, the authors said.
The study involved 541 children from China aged 9 to 11 years - 54% were boys, 46% were girls. They answered the question of how often they eat fish, and then took an intelligence test. At the same time, their parents assessed the quality of sleep in children, answering the relevant questions of scientists.
According to the test results, it turned out that children who ate fish at least once a week had fewer sleep disturbances. In addition, they scored 4.8 points more on average on IQ tests than their peers who rarely or never use the product.
According to scientists, the results of the study indicate that children should be given fish more often. The child can eat it, starting from the age of two, and the earlier the child is "introduced" to this product, the better he will taste it. “Children smell good. If they are not used to it, they can avoid eating fish,”explained one of the study's authors, Jennifer Pinto-Martin.