RSSNewsletterSiteMapFeedback

Home · Weather · Forum · Learning Chinese · Jobs · Shopping
Search This Site
China | International | Business | Government | Environment | Olympics/Sports | Travel/Living in China | Culture/Entertainment | Books & Magazines | Health
Home / Health / Photo Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read
Fish: the good mood food
Adjust font size:

Scientists believe the mood of teenagers could be determined by the food they eat - and are about to put their theory to the test.

A group of Australian scientists believe too few omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish and seafood, and too many omega-6 fatty acids, found in processed oils and nuts, raises the risk of depression in adolescents.

Up to 1000 Sydneysiders aged 14 to 17 will be recruited for the biggest study of its kind on whether adolescents truly are what they eat.

Lower seafood consumption has been linked to higher rates of depression in adults. The study will attempt to prove it affects teenagers in the same way.

The How Food Affects Mood study, by the Australasian Research Institute at Sydney Adventist Hospital and the University of NSW, will use DNA testing from cheek swabs and dietary surveys.

Researchers want to know if an imbalance in levels of omega-3 and omega-6 - due to increases in processed foods - heightens the probability of depression.

Humans evolved with a diet equal in both essential fatty acids but current Western diets have up to 15 times more omega-6 than omega-3.

Omega-3 fatty acids are critical to brain development and function, but because our bodies cannot effectively make them we rely on dietary sources.

However, most Australians consume less than a quarter of the optimal recommended intake because it is only found in a few foods, including oily fish such as salmon and sardines.

Previous NSW research showed children need to eat five times more fish and seafood than they do.

The study will be the first to measure which variant a teenager has of the serotonin transporter gene, which is responsible for our uptake of "feel-good" serotonin and mood control.

In 2006 Australian research found people who carry a "short" version of the gene tend to be more susceptible to depression, while those with the "long" version are more resilient against negative life events. The institute's Dr Ross Grant said the results would be used to give teenagers positive messages about healthy eating. "Often kids who are physically unhealthy are emotionally unhealthy as well," he said.

Co-researcher Margaret Morris said dietary intervention could ultimately be used to prevent and treat mood disorders.

"If there is a causal link between omega-3, serotonin transporter genotype and depression, we can develop better strategies to deal with it," she said.

Beaumont Hills parents Tracy and Martin McCoy say it's a challenge to get their three daughters to eat enough seafood. While Courtney, 13, doesn't mind prawns, Emilly, 16, and Amy, 9, won't go near fish.

"I don't like the fishy taste, and it stinks," Emilly said.

Amy added: "I'll have the chips."

American research suggests fish oil capsules and fatty fish do an equally good job of enriching the blood and other body tissues with omega-3 fatty acids.

Researcher Dr Williams Harris, of the University of South Dakota,said: "We went into the project assuming that fish would be better, based on some previous literature [but] it doesn't make any difference whether you get your omega-3 fatty acids from a concentrate in a capsule or in fish - they have the same effect on enriching the tissues with omega-3."

Nevertheless, Dr Harris said he would encourage people to eat fish.

"Fish of course brings with it proteins and minerals and other factors that are good for our health that the capsules don't bring, but we weren't able to measure any of those things," he said.

Fatty Acid Facts

* Omega-3s: cannot be made by the body. They are obtained from oily fish, cod liver oil and egg. Emerging evidence shows links between low levels of omega-3 and mood, behaviour, learning and neurological disorders.

* Omega-6s: come from industrial oils used in takeaways, ready meals, chips, biscuits and ice-cream.

* Western diets have up to 15 times more omega-6 than omega-3.

(Agencies via China Daily January 7, 2008)

Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read

Comment
Username Password Anonymous
China Archives
Related >>
Most Viewed >>
-20 Tumors Removed from 'Elephant Man'
-Study: Type-2 diabetics should avoid
-Medical Service for Foreigners
-A pint of beer is better than water after a workout
-A Different Point of View
SiteMap | About Us | RSS | Newsletter | Feedback

Copyright ? China.org.cn. All Rights Reserved E-mail: webmaster@china.org.cn Tel: 86-10-88828000 京ICP證 040089號

主站蜘蛛池模板: a级成人毛片免费图片| 国产啊v在线观看| 一本一道波多野结衣一区| 波多野结衣aa| 免费高清日本完整版| 色八a级在线观看| 国产午夜无码片在线观看| WWW免费视频在线观看播放| 性久久久久久久| 中文无码日韩欧免费视频| 日韩亚洲欧美在线| 亚洲av成人一区二区三区| 精品久久久久久无码中文字幕| 国产无套粉嫩白浆在线观看 | 欧美激情blackedraw红衣在线播放| 免费国产黄网站在线观看视频 | 国产情侣一区二区三区| jizz国产视频| 国产美女久久精品香蕉69| 中文字幕第二页| 日本电影中文字幕| 久久精品国产亚洲av电影网| 波多野结衣中文在线播放| 免费观看a级毛片| 精品国产乱码一区二区三区麻豆| 四虎精品免费永久免费视频| xxxx日本视频| 国产精品电影在线| 91色视频在线| 国精产品一品二品国精品69xx | 国产乱子伦农村叉叉叉| 4ayy私人影院| 国产精自产拍久久久久久蜜| 97国产免费全部免费观看| 在线免费观看亚洲| 99热国产精品| 成人毛片在线视频| 乱人伦人妻中文字幕无码久久网 | 天天干天天干天天插| www.999精品视频观看免费| 好男人社区神马www在线影视|