Whether they’re fed by bottle or breast, babies seem to turn out smarter when nourished with healthy fatty acids found in breast milk and some formulas, two new studies indicate. The studies, done in the United Kingdom and Spain and published online Sept. 19 in the journal Pediatrics, found that higher levels of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (such as DHA, EPA and ALA) were linked to greater mental development in both young and older children. Breast milk contains these substances naturally, and many infant formulas have been fortified with healthy fatty acids since research in the last two decades began to suggest they enhanced babies’ brain development.
