Impact of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Among Other Nonpharmacological Interventions on Behavior and Quality of Life in Children with Compromised Conduct in Spain

Figures & data

Table 1. Main reasons for consultation.

Reason for consultation	n	%
Conduct problems	307	32.9%
Inattention	293	31.4%
Nervousness	151	16.2%
School performance	111	11.9%
Hyperactivity	94	10.1%
Concentration	92	9.9%
Learning	64	6.9%
Other	227	24.3%

Table 2. Comparison between EPOCA’s study baseline data and NHS population.

		EPOCA		NHS 2011
		n	Mean (SD)	n	Mean (SD)	p
Age (years)		908	8.4 (1.8)	2089	8.5 (1.7)	.139
Height (cm)		917	131.1 (12.2)	1700	135.1 (13.8)	<.001
Height by age (z score)		881	0.27 (1.26)	1694	0.84 (1.62)	<.001
Weight (kg)		906	31.0 (8.9)	1913	33.2 (9.5)	<.001
Weight by age (z score)		675	0.69 (1.25)	1576	1.04 (1.22)	<.001
BMI		902	17.7 (2.7)	1653	18.3 (3.8)	<.001
BMI by age (z score)		869	0.70 (1.21)	1633	0.76 (1.5)	.239
Rest time (hours/day)		907	9.0 (1.1)	2089	9.3 (1.0)	<.001
		n	%	n	%	p
Child health in the past 12 months*	Very good	320	39.3	1103	52.8	<.001
	Good	435	53.4	867	41.5
	Normal	53	6.5	109	5.2
	Bad	6	0.7	9	0.4
	Very bad	0	0.0	1	0.0
SDQ		n	Mean (SD)	n	Mean (SD)	p
Emotional symptoms		920	4.2 (2.3)	2087	1.5 (1.8)	<.001
Conduct problems		921	4.0 (2.3)	2087	1.6 (1.6)	<.001
Hyperactivity/inattention		922	7.4 (2.3)	2086	3.9 (2.6)	<.001
Peer relationship problems		920	2.9 (2.2)	2087	1.16 (1.5)	<.001
Internalization		920	7.2 (3.7)	2087	2.9 (2.8)	<.001
Externalization		921	11.4 (3.9)	2087	5.6 (3.7)	<.001
Mental Health (global SDQ score)		920	18.6 (6.1)	2087	8.5 (5.5)	<.001
Consumption of different food groups		n	%	n	%	p
Fresh fruit	Deficiency	440	47.9	800	38.3	<.001
	Ideal	479	52.1	1288	61.7
Consumption of different food groups		n	%	n	%	p
Meat	Deficiency	130	14.2	497	23.8	<.001
	Ideal	558	60.9	1381	66.2
	Excess	229	25.0	209	10.0
Eggs	Deficiency	62	6.8	167	8.0	.019
	Ideal	839	91.5	1915	91.7
	Excess	16	1.7	6	0.3
Fish	Deficiency	598	65.4	1262	60.4	.011
	Ideal	317	34.6	826	39.6
Pasta, rice, potatoes	Deficiency	591	64.9	1690	81.0	<.001
	Ideal	319	35.1	397	19.0
Vegetables	Deficiency	662	72.0	1344	64.4	<.001
	Ideal	257	28.0	744	35.6
Legumes	Deficiency	168	18.4	259	12.4	<.001
	Ideal	745	81.6	1829	87.6
Sausages and cold meats	Ideal	740	81.2	1511	72.4	<.001
	Excess	171	18.8	577	27.6
Sweetened beverages	Ideal	502	55.0	1296	62.2	<.001
	Excess	410	45.0	789	37.8

NHS = National Health Survey; BMI = body mass index; SD = standard deviation; SDQ = Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.

*As reported by parents.

Figure 1. Baseline and follow-up scores in the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.

Figure 2. Impact of pediatricians’ recommendations on the SDQ results.

Figure 3. Comparison in SDQ scores between dietary supplementation vs. no dietary supplementation groups. Footnote to figure: CH change of habits, DS dietary supplementation.

Table 3. Homogeneity of the two subgroups of analysis.

		Without supplementation		Omega-3 supplementation		p
		n	Mean (SD)	n	Mean (SD)
Age (years)		297	8.48 (1.73)	308	8.4 (1.69)	.578
Height by age (z note)		288	0.32 (1.22)	302	0.21 (1.28)	.311
Weight by age (z note)		214	0.77 (1.19)	239	0.66 (1.22)	.368
BMI		295	17.8 (2.76)	308	17.6 (2.54)	.354
Rest time (hours/day)		301	8.92 (1.03)	307	9.02 (1.11)	.249
		n	%	n	%
Gender	Female	101	33.3%	90	28.7%	.21
	Male	202	66.7%	224	71.3%
Child health in the past 12 months*	Very good	75	25.0%	77	24.7%	.446
	Good	179	59.7%	185	59.3%
	Normal	44	14.7%	42	13.5%
	Bad	2	0.7%	7	2.2%
	Very bad	0	0.0%	1	0.3%
Change of Habits*	Not specified	35	50.7%	31	35.2%	.095
	Physical activity	0	0.0%	6	6.8%
	Sleep hygiene	6	8.7%	10	11.4%
	Behavioral measures	27	39.1%	38	43.2%
	Dietary recommendations	1	1.4%	3	3.4%
Patients likely to have mental health problems (rated by SDQ)
Emotions		183	60.0%	180	57.9%	.592
Conduct		170	55.7%	166	53.4%	.556
Hyperactivity		170	56.3%	192	61.9%	.156
Peer relationship		162	53.1%	160	51.4%	.679
Mental health		202	66.9%	212	68.4%	.692
Internalization		182	60.3%	193	62.3%	.613
Externalization		179	59.3%	193	62.3%	.449

BMI = body mass index; SD = standard deviation; SDQ: Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. *As reported by parents.

Table 4. Percentage of children with improvement in each category of SDQ.

	Without supplementation	With supplementation	p
Emotional symptoms	47.4%	53.0%	NS
Conduct problems	45.8%	56.5%	< .05
Hyperactivity/inattention	49.3%	60.3%	< .05
Peer relationship problems	49.3%	60.3%	< .05
Internalization	46.1%	55.9%	< .05
Externalization	57.2%	67.6%	< .05
Mental health	60.1%	69.5%	< .05

SDQ = Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; NS = not significant.