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 .
Effects of a low birthweight infant formula containing human milk levels of docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acids.
Long-chain ( LC ) polyunsaturated fatty acids ( PUFA ) ( LCP ) are considered conditionally essential nutrients for low birth weight infants ( LBWI ) . Therefore , enrichment of LBWI formulae with metabolites both linoleic ( omega-6 ) and alpha-linolenic ( omega-3 ) acids at levels typical for human milk has been recommended . However , previous feeding trials with LCP-enriched formulae evaluated only a dietary supplementation with omega-3 LCP from fish oils alone or with both omega-3 and omega-6 LCP at levels considerably lower than usual human milk contents . We studied the effects of an LBWI formula providing the major omega-3 and omega-6 LCP , docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acids , in amounts similar to those in average human milk . Twenty-seven LBWIs were enrolled in this study when they tolerated full enteral feeding ( > or = 130 ml milk/kg/day ) . Infants either received their own mother 's milk  ( n = 8 , birthweight 1218 + /- 146 g , gestational age 30.2 + /- 1.5 weeks , mean + /- SD ) fortified with protein and minerals ( FM-85 , Nestle Ag , Munchen , Germany ; dosage 5 g/100 ml milk ) or were r and omly assigned to blinded batches of an LBWI formula ( Prematil , Milupa AG , Friedrichsdorf , Germany ) without LCP ( n = 10 , 1280 + /- 229 g , 31.1 + /- 3.1 weeks ) or with LCP ( n = 9 , 1253 + /- 334 g , 30.4 + /- 3.3 wks . ) . During the study period of 21 days , the three feeding groups did not differ in growth and feeding tolerances as assessed by occurrence of gastric residuals , spitting , or abdominal distention ; however , firms stools were noted more frequently in the two formula groups . ( ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS
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 .