Early nutrition, essential fatty acid status and visual acuity of term infants at 7 months of age

Abstract

Objective: In term infants the relationship between visual acuity and dietary fatty acid composition is not consistent, possibly due to confounders, which were mostly neglected in the studies concerned. In the current study, therefore, the in¯uence of the essential fatty acid status and potential confounders on the visual acuity was investigated. Design: The essential fatty acid status was determined at 7 months of age in red blood cell and plasma phospholipids of breastfed and formula-fed infants, born at term. Visual acuity was measured with Teller Acuity Cards. Information about potential confounding factors was obtained during an interview and with a retrospective questionnaire.Results: This study, like others, showed that the concentrations of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22 : 6n-3) are lower in plasma and red blood cell phospolipids of formula-fed infants compared to that of breastfed infants. However, no differences in visual acuity could be found between the two groups. Moreover, no signi®cant relationship was found between the amounts of docosahexaenoic acid in plasma and red blood cell phospholipids and the visual acuity. Although dummy (paci®er) use showed a signi®cant positive correlation with visual acuity, it did not in¯uence the relationship between the essential fatty acids in the infant diet and visual acuity. There was also no confounding in¯uence of smoking habits and alcohol use during pregnancy, socioeconomic background and other potential confounders. Conclusions: At 7 months of age no in¯uence of fatty acid status, infant diet or potential confounders on visual acuity was found.

Opinion of the Scientific Panel on contaminants in the food chain [CONTAM] related to the safety assessment of wild and farmed fish

“…The scores were highest in infants whose mothers consumed more than 2 fish meals per week but had hair mercury levels below 1.2 µg/g hair (Oken et al, 2005). Bakker et al (1999; could not demonstrate an association between feeding modus (breast-milk or infant formula) or DHA concentrations in umbilical venous plasma and plasma phospholipids at age 7 years on the one side and visual acuity at 7 months of age nor with intelligence at age 7 years on the other side.…”

Prenatal DHA supplementation and infant attention

“…However, it has been hypothesized that prenatal exposure to DHA may also affect later development through fetal programming of the central nervous system and various other physiologic pathways. This possibility is supported by a number of observational studies that associate DHA status during pregnancy with positive long-term effects on the offspring (7–13). Several randomized trials of maternal DHA supplementation during pregnancy and/or lactation have been conducted with mixed results; the larger trials have not reported advantages for DHA supplementation during the first 18 months (14–16), although one small study found positive effects on problem solving (17).…”

Recent advances in infant cognition: Implications for long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation studies

“…Studies of infant visual function have been widely conducted in this area for some time (e.g., Ref. 17), showing both positive (18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26) and null (27)(28)(29)(30)(31) effects for LC-PUFA supplementation. The choice of dependent variable within this realm is perhaps facilitated by the fact that there is a finite set of such measures for visual function (e.g., acuity or contrast sensitivity), and that the standardized measures that do exist (e.g., Ref.…”