An EU audit last year found the brain disorders have surpassed every other disease category in the costs of ill health.It was The Independent on Sunday which broke the story of the Government’s proposals to provide omega-3 supplements to children. Ministers recognise that the scientific evidence is already sufficient to justify prompt remedial action. Admirable, too, that they recognised the critical role of diet in these issues.However, it is not just sugary foods that cause problems but, even more fundamentally, increasing deficiencies in brain-specific omega-3 fatty acids, from a child’s time in the womb onwards.What we need is not more research, but action. But this is just an interim solution.Over the long term, we need to put a health component into EU food and fisheries policies, so we have a sustainable supply of appropriate fish, and stop subsidising products rich in fat, sugar and salt.

It is a shame that the international community, and indeed the media, continues to turn a blind eye in most cases to Israel’s possession of nuclear weapons.Iran and other countries in the Middle East who are urged to sign up by the West to a non-proliferation treaty and to halt any development of nuclear weapons find this failure to deal with Israel as a nuclear power both perplexing and hypocritical. Israel should be subject to the same scrutiny as every other country in this matter and be required to give a proper account of its nuclear programme.PAUL HUGHES-SMITHLONDON W4 Children’s mental health: diet is critical Sir: The British Medical Association’s report on the increase in children’s mental problems is a pre-emptive warning of an impending crisis (report, 21 June). The arguments for a shift to policies which will begin genuinely to resolve the world’s complex problems must be heard.KATE HUDSONCHAIR, CAMPAIGN FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT LONDON N7Sir: Your article on Gordon Brown’s support for nuclear missile renewal showed a very useful chart of which countries had nuclear warheads, but with one glaring omission – Israel.Israel is estimated to have over 200 nuclear warheads, but of course refuses any form of international inspection and will not sign up to any nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Policies of nuclear first use and the practice of pre-emptive war, sadly espoused not only by the US but also by Britain, can only contribute to that very real danger.Replacing Trident is a major step down the road to nuclear disaster It must be stopped now The debate must take place. Inevitably this will lead some countries to believe they, too, need nuclear weapons as “deterrent” protection.

Our nuclear arsenal did not “deter” the attacks of 7/7, and it is widely recognised that we face no current nuclear superpower threats.John Reid and others have argued that we need to replace Trident as an insurance policy against future threats But this argument is deeply flawed. To embark on a new nuclear-arms race – which is how replacing Trident would be seen abroad – would send the worst possible signal to countries that are already impatient with the nuclea- weapons states for failing to comply with their obligation, under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, to begin the process of disarmament. Pollution is caused by engine size and use, not by having four-wheel drive. People who “offend” in 4×4s will not change their habits if driving by two wheels.

Any campaign is better aimed at reducing the total number of vehicles of all types, and at reducing the number of unnecessary journeys, rather than targeting any particular group.ANTHONY N BATES.SALTASH, CORNWALL Trident exacerbates threat to our security Sir: Gordon Brown now publicly supports the replacement of Trident (report, 22 June), even though the Prime Minister has recognised that nuclear weapons are no use against the current security threats that we face. Recently it has become an even greater problem as all the bays have been widened by a foot, presumably to accommodate extra-wide modern cars like 4×4s, resulting in a loss of about 15 per cent capacity I now have to spend even more time huntingfor a space. This is another small but annoying example of their anti-social features.ALAN J EVENSSOUTHSEA, HAMPSHIRESir: The current whipping boy of environmental campaigners is the vilified 4×4 car. Having spent some of my orthopaedic training in Chelsea, I often rode my scooter in close proximity to “Chelsea tractors”.

Now, as I live in rural west Scotland, my family own two 4×4s. I believe I am acting responsibly by ensuring I can reach my patients in severe weather conditions. The current discrimination against 4×4 cars is a reaction to the metropolitan use of these vehicles with no regard to provincial need for these appropriate cars.DR MARTIN BUCHANQUARRIERS VILLAGE, RENFREWSHIRESir: Your campaign against the 4×4 will not stand up to any test. “Rurality” was thought up many years ago to defend country GPs who were in dispute with pharmacies about the right to dispense medicines for their patients.