Want smart girls, let them eat fish

Girls who eat a lot of omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish) are superior to those who eat a lot of omega-6 fatty acids (found in oil, margarine), a new study reveals.

This result, like other studies, is suggestive - especially for pregnant women - more fish should be eaten than vegetable oils.

The team at the University of California analyzed data on about 4,000 girls and boys aged 6 to 16 years.

(Photo: corbis)

After controlling for factors such as income and parental level, age of the child, race, sibling, blood lead content ., the group found that the girls ate a lot of omega-3s. (DHA) had significantly higher scores in four cognitive tests, including an IQ test.

Boys who eat more omega-3 also perform slightly better cognitive tests, but "this effect in girls is twice as strong as boys", the authors said.