The effect of omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids on illness in children up to 4 years of age

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Supplementation of omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) during the first year of life has been associated with a decreased incidence of illness in children. The need to determine the most effective dose of n-3 and n-6 LCPUFA for infants and children remains, especially in regards to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). METHODS: This study was a double-blind, 2-phase, randomized, controlled, parallel-group, prospective trial. The primary outcome of the study was to evaluate whether DHA and ARA supplemented infant formula affected visual evoked potential acuity in term infants. For the purposes of this thesis project, the outcome is illness as recorded through adverse events during the original study from birth to 4 years of age. One-hundred and fifty-nine infants were randomized into 4 groups of which 91 were eligible for medical record review. Infants were given milk-based infant formula containing no DHA (control formula, n=19), 0.32% DHA (n=25), 0.64% DHA (n=19), or 0.96% of total fatty acids as DHA (n=28). The study was controlled for ARA (0.64% of the total fatty acids) with a dose response to DHA - the control group received no DHA or ARA. RESULTS: Significantly fewer illnesses were seen in children supplemented with DHA and ARA when compared to the control during the first four years of life. Subjects receiving the formula that contained 0.96% DHA from fatty acids were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with any illness during the first year of life (p = 0.01) when compared to the control group. These subjects were also less likely to be diagnosed with respiratory diagnoses (p = 0.05), any allergy diagnoses (p = 0.003), combined wheeze/asthma/skin diagnoses (p = 0.003), and skin allergic illnesses (p = 0.02). Additionally, the 0.64% DHA group experienced fewer ears, eyes, nose, and throat diagnoses (p = 0.05) during the first year of life. CONCLUSIONS: DHA and ARA supplementation of infant formula was associated with a reduced incidence of overall diagnoses, respiratory diagnoses, allergic diagnoses, skin diagnoses, combined wheeze/asthma/skin allergic diagnoses, as well as skin allergic illness diagnoses in children up to 4 years of age.