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 .
Effect of formula supplemented with docosahexaenoic acid and gamma-linolenic acid on fatty acid status and visual acuity in term infants.
BACKGROUND Docosahexaenoic acid is present in high concentration in retina and does not influence visual development in preterm infants . It is still under discussion whether docosahexaenoic acid is important for visual development in term infants . METHODS Thirty-seven infants fed formula for a median of 14 days were r and omized at median age of 25 days to three formulas : a ) DHAGF : 0.3 wt% docosahexaenoic acid and 0.5 wt% gamma-linolenic acid ; b ) DHAF 0.3 wt% docosahexaenoic acid ; or c ) STF : st and ard formula without long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and  17 breast-fed infants were observed , using blood sample s and anthropometric measurements from 1 to 4 months of age . At 4 months , visual acuity was measured by swept steady-state visual evoked potential . A cross-sectional study on 25 breast-fed infants was carried out as a reference group for the analyses . RESULTS Infants fed the two docosahexaenoic acid-supplemented formula had relative docosahexaenoic acid concentrations in red blood cell phospholipids almost as high as those in breast-fed infants , whereas infants in the st and ard formula group had significantly lower levels . The addition of gamma-linolenic acid to the formula had a positive effect on red blood cell arachidonic acid levels , compared with levels obtained using fish oil only . Visual acuity was significantly different among all feeding groups ( analysis of variance ; p = 0.05 , means + /- st and ard deviation : breast-fed , 0.37+/-0.06 logMAR ; DHAF and DHAGF combined , 0.40+/-0.07 logMAR ; and st and ard formula 0.44+/-0.07 logMAR . However , there was no statistical difference among the formula groups . In a multiple regression analysis including all formula-fed infants , weight at delivery ( p = 0.002 ) , but not type of formula , was significantly associated with visual acuity at 4 months of age . CONCLUSIONS The addition of docosahexaenoic acid result ed in concentrations in red blood cells at similar levels as those in breast-fed infants , whereas the increase in visual acuity did not reach significance . The addition of gamma-linolenic acid result ed in higher arachidonic acid concentrations in red blood cells
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 .