Visual acuity and blood lipids in term infants fed human milk or formulae

Abstract

This multicenter, parallel group study determined plasma phospholipid and red blood cell (RBC) phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine fatty acids, plasma cholesterol, apo A-1 and B, growth and visual acuity (using the acuity card procedure) in term infants fed from birth to 90 d of age with formula containing palm-olein, high oleic sunflower, coconut and soy oil (22.2% 16:0, 36.2% 18:1, 18% 18:2n-6, 1.9% 18:3n-3) (n = 59) or coconut and soy oil (10.3% 16:0 18:6% 18:1, 34.2% 18:2n-6, 4.7% 18:3n-3) (n = 57) or breast-fed (n = 56) with no formula supplementation. Different centers in North America were included to overcome potential bias due to differences in n-6 or n-3 fatty acids at birth or in breast-fed infants that might occur in a single-site study. Plasma and RBC phospholipid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) and arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n-6), cholesterol and apo B were significantly lower in the formula- than breast-fed infants. There were no differences in looking acuity or growth among the breast-fed and formula-fed infants. No significant relations were found between DHA and looking acuity, or AA and growth within or among any of the infant groups. This study provides no evidence to suggest the formula provided inadequate n-6 or n-3 fatty acids for growth and looking acuity for the first 3 mon after birth.

Fatty acid and sn-2 fatty acid composition in human milk from Granada (Spain) and in infant formulas

“…Visual benefits of adding AA and DHA to formulas have been reported in some studies (Carlson et al, 1996;Birch et al, 1998;Jorgensen et al, 1998), whereas other studies have failed to detect a benefit of AA and DHA supplementation Auestad et al, 1997;Innis et al, 1997). There is also mixed evidence for the support of an effect of dietary AA and DHA on more global measures of development, Birch et al, (2000) and Willats et al, (1998) reported benefits of dietary AA and DHA, whereas Makrides et al, (2000) and Lucas et al, (1999) failed to detect benefits of dietary AA and DHA.…”

Essential fatty acids as determinants of lipid requirements in infants, children and adults

“…Initial results by Ponder et al (1992) indicated that this alternate strategy could be simpler and less expensive than the addition of n-3 LCPUFA. Studies by Innis et al (1994Innis et al ( , 1996Innis et al ( , 1997 concluded that the need for DHA supplementation should not be based on the alleged improved visual acuity of breast fed infants since despite differences in DHA content in blood no differences in preferential looking acuity between BF and unsupplemented formula fed infants were found. The formula used in this study contained 2.1% of total fat as LNA but no LCPUFAs.…”

Blood lipid concentrations of docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acids at birth determine their relative postnatal changes in term infants fed breast milk or formula

“…For instance, concentrations of the principal nϪ3 long-chain PUFA docosahexaenoic acid (22:6nϪ3) in plasma and erythrocyte phospholipids (ie, an indicator of 22:6nϪ3 status) remain the same, decrease slightly, or even increase during the course of early development in breast-fed infants, whereas a decrease is always reported in infants fed formula devoid of 22:6nϪ3 (reviewed in 1-3). Such differences over time are still observed, although the content of the nϪ3 precursor ␣-linolenic acid (18:3nϪ3) in formula increased to up to 5% of total fatty acids (4,5). Conversely, no significant differences were found when comparisons were made between infants fed breast milk and those fed 22:6nϪ3-supplemented formulas (1)(2)(3).…”