Modification of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids via complementary food enhances n-3 LC-PUFA synthesis in healthy infants - a double blinded randomized controlled trial.

Author(s): Schwartz J, Dube K, Sichert-Hellert W, Kannenberg F, Kunz C, Kalhoff H, Kersting M

Affiliation(s): Resercht Institute of Child Nutrition, Germany.

Publication date & source: 2009-02-04, Arch Dis Child., [Epub ahead of print]

Publication type:

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of modified PUFA profiles of complementary food on LC-PUFA composition in healthy infants. DESIGN: Double blinded, randomized, controlled intervention trial. SETTING: Dortmund, Germany. Patients: free-living sample of healthy term infants. METHODS: Participants were randomized within the first 2 months of life. During the intervention period from 4 to 10 months, the control group (CG, n=53) received commercial complementary meals with corn oil (3.4 g/meal) rich in n-6 linoleic acid (LA), the intervention group (IG, n=49) received the same meals with rapeseed oil (1.6 g/meal) rich in n-3 alpha-linoleinic acid (ALA). FA intake was assessed from dietary records throughout the intervention period. FA proportions (% of total FA) in total plasma were analyzed before and after the intervention. RESULTS: Plasma FA profiles did not differ between the IG and CG before the intervention. During the intervention, the only difference in FA intake between the IG and CG was a higher intake of ALA in the IG, 21 % deriving from study food, and a lower ratio of LA/ALA (10.7 vs 14.8). At the end of the intervention, the plasma proportions of total n-3 FA and of n-3 LC-PUFA, but not of ALA were higher and the ratios of n-6/n-3 FA were lower in the IG. CONCLUSIONS: Feasible dietary modifications of the precursor FA profile via n-3 PUFA rich vegetable oil favored n-3 LC-PUFA synthesis in the complementary feeding period when LC-PUFA intake from breast milk and formula is decreasing.