Food For The Brain Schools Campaign

On Friday 5th January 2007 an exclusive interview with nutritionist and psychologist Patrick Holford was broadcast on ITV's Tonight with Trevor McDonald to announce details of his latest initiative, the Food for the Brain Schools Campaign.

As Chief Executive of the Food for the Brain Schools Campaign, Patrick Holford's message is clear, namely dramatically improve the diet of all participating school children in an effort to improve academic results.

Supported by the National Association of Head Teachers and most of the leading charities in mental health, the Food for the Brain Foundation is supported and advised by some of the leading researchers in psychology, brain chemistry, nutrition, education and psychiatry.

Previous research has shown that supplementation with eye q(TM), the omega-3 fish oil and omega-6 evening primrose oil supplement used in the groundbreaking Durham Schools trial has played a significant role in helping to improve children's learning and behaviour.

The Food for the Brain Schools Campaign is a unique experiment designed to investigate the combined effects of supplementation with eye q(TM), a multivitamin, an additive free diet low in sugar, alongside a structured exercise routine of speed, agility and quickness (SAQ).

The scientific evidence behind the eye q(TM) formulation has been widely publicised. The school trials in Durham, Middlesbrough, Sure Start Peterlee and Greenfield Community Arts College in Newton Aycliffe mean hundreds of children have taken eye q(TM) under the supervision of education authorities. This makes eye q(TM) the most independently tested omega-3 and omega-6 formulation on the market for learning and behavioural conditions.

The preliminary results from Chineham Park Primary School in Basingstoke featured on ITV's Tonight with Trevor McDonald are extremely encouraging.

Between September to December 2006, Connors parent rating scores on signs of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) showed an 18% improvement whilst teachers recorded a 9% improvement. Parents noticed a reduction in aggression, temper tantrums, impulsivity, and hyperactivity within the home, whilst teachers reported improved concentration levels in the classroom. On self tests children showed less difficulty with learning, increased attention levels and less hyperactivity and impulsivity.

All the pupils at Chineham Park Primary School are taking part in this unique project, where the Head teacher is hoping to improve SATS results. A focus group of nine pupils were chosen to complete the Test of Variables of Attention -Visual. Tested at baseline, then three months later, the childrens' attention and impulse control levels were recorded. Based on pre-test scores, seven of the children tested had a score that would have suggested signs of ADHD while three had scores that were within the normal range. Post test scores indicated that out of the nine tested, only four remained within the ADHD classification and five had scores within the normal range.

These results reveal an improvement in impulsivity and concentration which suggests that the children were able to better manage their own behaviour. Considerable improvements in reading and writing skills were also observed.

"I suspect the improvements in learning, attention and behaviour that we have seen in the first three months at Chineham Park Primary School are largely due to the children taking the essential fatty acid supplement, eye q (TM) along with a multivitamin supplement since the changes in diet achieved in the first three months have been modest." says Nutritionist Patrick Holford from the Food for the Brain Foundation.

"Fish oils can be contaminated with pollutants such as PCBs and mercury. It is best to choose a brand that guarantees its purity and quality. Quality is important when choosing an essential fatty acid supplement and that's why the Food for the Brain Schools Campaign has chosen Equazen's eye q(TM) products," continues Patrick Holford.

The eye q(TM) formulation is unique and uses hi-EPA marine fish oil and virgin evening primrose oil. It is available in Boots, Superdrug, Sainsburys, Holland and Barrett and independent health food stores and pharmacies, priced from £7.99.

Contact 0870-241-5621 or visit equazen.com.

Patrick Holford, Nutritionist and Psychologist is Chief Executive of The Food for the Brain Schools Campaign, Foodforthebrain.org.