There is no evidence that PUFA supplementation in infancy has an effect on infant or childhood allergy , asthma , dermatitis/eczema or food allergy .
However , the quality of evidence was very low .
There was insufficient evidence to determine an effect on allergic rhinitis
BACKGROUND Early dietary intakes may influence the development of allergic disease .
It is important to determine if dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids ( PUFAs ) given as supplements or added to infant formula prevent the development of allergy .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of higher PUFA intake during infancy to prevent allergic disease .
Modulation of infant formula fat profile alters the low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein ratio and plasma fatty acid distribution relative to those with breast-feeding.
The effect of breast-feeding was compared with that of two fat-modified milk formulas in 45 infants ( 15 per group ) studied by assessing  body weight gain  for 4 months and plasma lipids , lipoprotein profiles , fatty acid profiles of plasma and red blood cells , and plasma tocopherol status 3 months after birth . A saturated fat formula with coconut oil/soybean oil ( COCO/SOY ) had a fatty acid content and polyunsaturated/saturated ratio ( P/S , 0.55 ) comparable with that of human milk fat ( P/S , 0.39 ) and had the same fat energy content ( 50 % kcal ) . The second formula , with corn oil/soybean oil ( CORN/SOY ) , was highly unsaturated ( P/S , 4.6 ) , with only 35 % kcal from fat . Energy intake and body weight gain were similar for all groups . Plasma total cholesterol , triglyceride , and phospholipid levels were significantly lower ( greater than 20 % on average ) in infants fed the CORN/SOY formula than in infants fed either the COCO/SOY formula or human milk . Infants fed the CORN/SOY formula also had lower ( 25 % to 35 % ) plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein B levels and low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein and apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A-I ratios . Plasma , red blood cell , and cholesteryl ester fatty acids from infants fed COCO/SOY contained less 18:1 and more 18:2 ; cholesterol esters in plasma from breast-fed infants had the highest 20:4n-6 levels . Plasma tocopherol levels were higher in infants consuming formulas . The presence of cholesterol in human milk appeared to exp and the low-density lipoprotein pool and exert an " unfavorable " increase in the low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein ratio . Thus modulation of infant lipoproteins by changing dietary fat and cholesterol is feasible and in keeping with the known response in adults
There is no evidence that PUFA supplementation in infancy has an effect on infant or childhood allergy , asthma , dermatitis/eczema or food allergy .
However , the quality of evidence was very low .
There was insufficient evidence to determine an effect on allergic rhinitis
BACKGROUND Early dietary intakes may influence the development of allergic disease .
It is important to determine if dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids ( PUFAs ) given as supplements or added to infant formula prevent the development of allergy .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of higher PUFA intake during infancy to prevent allergic disease .