Researchers are investigating whether taking fish oil during pregnancy could reduce a child's risk of diabetes.

Children of overweight women are more likely to become overweight themselves, and nearly twice as likely to develop problems like diabetes in later life.

Paediatrician Dr Ben Albert has co-led a Liggins Institute study of rats that found fish oil during pregnancy, improves the way insulin works, reducing a child's obesity risk.

The rats were fed either a high-fat diet to make them overweight, or a standard diet, and half from each group were also given fresh fish oil.

"Giving that fresh fish oil prevented the offspring from getting the problems that their counterparts, who didn't get fresh fish oil during pregnancy, developed as they age," Dr Albert said.

In the offspring of the high-fat group, the fish oil treatment improved the way insulin works, which is protective against diabetes.

"This is exciting because it raises the question: if overweight women take fresh fish oil in pregnancy, will it lower the risk of their children later developing diabetes?" 

 

But this didn't mean pregnant women should be taking fish oil - yet.

"The same benefit has not yet been shown in humans, and our earlier study shows New Zealanders cannot be sure that the fish oil they buy is fresh."

He said they won't know if it has the same impact on humans until they begin a human study later this year.

"It raises the possibility that an omega 3 supplement, like fish oil, could be beneficial in pregnancy but the studies haven't been done in humans yet and we just don't know."

 

"A clinical study we are about to embark upon will reveal whether human babies experience the same benefit."

 

 

FISH OIL FINDINGS

• Pregnant rats were fed either a high-fat diet to make them overweight, or a standard diet, and half from each group were also given fresh fish oil. In the offspring of the high-fat group, the fish oil treatment improved the way insulin works, which is protective against diabetes.

• The research team, from the University of Auckland-based Liggins Institute, caution against pregnant women taking fish oil on the basis of this finding, because the same benefit has not yet been shown in humans, and the team's earlier study shows New Zealanders cannot be sure that the fish oil they buy is fresh.

• The team will start a clinical trial of fresh fish oil supplements in overweight pregnant women later this year.