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 .
Randomized, double-blind trial of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation with fish oil and borage oil in preterm infants.
OBJECTIVE To test the efficacy and safety of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid ( LCPUFA ) supplementation with gamma-linolenic acid , a precursor of arachidonic acid , and docosahexaenoic acid in preterm infants . STUDY DESIGN Preterm ( < 35 weeks , < or = 2000 g birth weight ) infants ( n=238 ) r and omly assigned to unsupplemented or LCPUFA-supplemented formula to 9 months after term . The main outcome measure was the Bayley Mental and Psychomotor Indexes ( MDI , PDI ) at 18 months after term . Safety outcome measures were anthropometry ( 9 and 18 months ) , feed tolerance , infection , and clinical complications . RESULTS There were no significant differences in neurodevelopment between groups overall . In preplanned subgroup analyses , LCPUFA-supplemented boys had significantly higher Bayley MDI than did control boys ( difference , 5.7 points ; 95 % CI , 0.3 to 11.1 ; P=.04 ) . LCPUFA-supplemented infants showed significantly greater weight gain ( difference , 310 g ; 95 % CI , 30 to 590 g ; P=.03 ) and length gain ( difference , 1.0 cm ; 95 % CI , 0.02 to 1.9 ; P=.05 ) between birth and 9 months , with greater effect in boys ( weight difference at 9 months , 510 g ; 95 % CI , 80 to 930 g ; P=.02 ; length difference at 18 months , 1.8 cm ; 95 % CI , 0.1 to 1.8 ; P=.03 ) . CONCLUSIONS This trial , using the strategy of providing gamma-linolenic acid as a source of arachidonic acid , showed efficacy for growth and for neurodevelopment in boys , with no adverse effects . These data have important implication s for LCPUFA-supplementation strategy in preterm infants
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 .