A recent study, which has been published in the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, has revealed that providing omega-3 capsules are good for children who were born underweight.

Omega-3 is found in rich amount in fish oil and canola-based margarine. It protects underweight babies, who are at great risk of acquiring cardiovascular disease later in their lives.

A group of researchers from Sydney University enrolled 616 children and their assessment has led them reach at the conclusion that omega- 3 is good for underweight children.

Smaller infants are at great risk of developing thick arteries with which their blood vessels also get harden. This problem further leads to cardiovascular diseases and cause heart attack among other problems.

The study lead author, Michael Skilton, from the University's Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise and Eating Disorders, told that they randomly divided the children into two groups. First group was given a 500 milligram daily fish oil supplement till the time they get six months old. After it, they were given canola-based margarines and cooking oil diet till they got five years of age.

Second group was given a 500 milligram daily sunflower oil supplement till they got six months and after they were given omega-6 fatty acid-rich margarines and cooking oil diet.

The children were administered when they were eight-years-old. It was found that the first group which had been fed with omega- 3 rich diet has not developed thick arteries. Meanwhile, presence of arterial wall thickening was seen in the second group, which is a sign of cardiovascular disease.

"The results of the paper suggest that babies born small may benefit from a daily omega-3 supplement, however further studies are required to confirm this”, said Skilton.