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Omega 3/6 fatty acids for reading in children: a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial in 9‐year‐old mainstream schoolchildren in Sweden
Author(s) -
Johnson Mats,
Fransson Gunnar,
Östlund Sven,
Areskoug Björn,
Gillberg Christopher
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/jcpp.12614
Subject(s) - placebo , placebo controlled study , randomization , randomized controlled trial , psychology , medicine , pediatrics , physical therapy , double blind , alternative medicine , pathology
Background Previous research has shown positive effects of Omega 3/6 fatty acids in children with inattention and reading difficulties. We aimed to investigate if Omega 3/6 improved reading ability in mainstream schoolchildren. Methods We performed a 3‐month parallel, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial followed by 3‐month active treatment for all subjects. Mainstream schoolchildren aged 9–10 years were randomized 1:1 to receive three Omega 3/6 capsules twice daily or identical placebo. Assessments were made at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. The primary outcome measure was the Logos test battery for evaluating reading abilities. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT 02557477. Results The study enrolled 154 children (active n = 78; placebo n = 76), of whom 122 completed the first 3 months (active n = 64; placebo n = 58) and 105 completed the whole study (active/active n = 55; placebo/active n = 50). Outcomes were assessed by per protocol ( PP ) and intention‐to‐treat ( ITT ) analyses. Active treatment was superior to placebo at 3 months for improvement in phonologic decoding time ( PP active/placebo difference −0.16; 95% CI −0.03, −0.29; effect size ( ES ) .44; p = .005; and ITT ES .37; p = .036), in visual analysis time ( PP active/placebo difference −0.19; 95% CI −0.05, −0.33; ES .49; p = .013; and ITT ES .40; p = .01), and for boys in phonologic decoding time ( PP −0.22; 95% CI −0.03, −0.41; ES .62; p = .004). Children with ADHD ‐ RS scores above the median showed treatment benefits in visual analysis time ( PP ES .8, p = .009), reading speed per word ( PP ES .61, p = .008), and phonologic decoding time per word ( PP ES .85, p = .006). Adverse events were rare and mild, mainly stomach pain/diarrhea (active n = 9, placebo n = 2). Conclusions Compared with placebo, 3 months of Omega 3/6 treatment improved reading ability – specifically the clinically relevant ‘phonologic decoding time’ and ‘visual analysis time’ – in mainstream schoolchildren. In particular, children with attention problems showed treatment benefits.