Intake of Omega-3 Fats During Pregnancy Lowers Type 1 Diabetes Risk in Child

Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), derived primarily from fish in maternal diet during pregnancy or lactation, may help protect infants at high risk of type 1 diabetes (T1D) from developing the disease. Increasing the intake of fish-derived fatty acids and the duration of breastfeeding may have beneficial effects by reducing the autoimmune responses that lead to T1D. More than 20 million people worldwide are affected by T1D -- an autoimmune disease in which the immune system turns on the body and destroys insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.