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 .
Allergic disease in infants up to 2 years of age in relation to plasma omega-3 fatty acids and maternal fish oil supplementation in pregnancy and lactation.
We have previously reported a protective effect of maternal omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids ( ω-3 LCPUFA ) supplementation in pregnancy and lactation on IgE-associated eczema and food allergy in the infant during the first year of life . Here we investigate whether the effects of the LCPUFA supplementation on IgE-associated diseases last up to 2 yr of age and assess the relationship between plasma proportions of ω-3 PUFAs and the frequency and severity of infant allergic disease . 145 pregnant women , at risk of having an allergic infant , were r and omized to daily supplementation with 1.6 g eicosapentaenoic acid ( EPA ) and 1.1 g docosahexaenoic acid ( DHA ) or placebo starting in the 25th gestational week and continuing through 3.5 months of breastfeeding . Clinical examinations , skin prick tests and analysis of maternal and infant plasma phospholipid fatty acids and infant specific IgE were performed . No difference in the prevalence of allergic symptoms was found between the intervention groups . The cumulative incidence of IgE-associated disease was lower in the ω-3-supplemented group ( 6/54 , 13 % ) compared with the placebo group ( 19/62 , 30 % , p=0.01 ) . Higher maternal and infant proportions of DHA and EPA were associated with lower prevalence of IgE associated disease ( p=0.01 - 0.05 ) in a dose-dependent manner . Higher maternal and infant proportions of DHA and EPA were found if the infants presented none , when compared with multiple allergic symptoms , ( p<0.05 ) regardless of sensitization . In summary , the ω-3 supplementation offered no obvious preventive effect on the prevalence of clinical symptoms of allergic disease , but the decrease in cumulative incidence of IgE-associated disease seen during the first year still remained until 2 yr of age . Furthermore , high proportions of DHA and EPA in maternal and infant plasma phospholipids were associated with less IgE-associated disease and a reduced severity of the allergic phenotype
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 .