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 .
Visual function in breast-fed term infants weaned to formula with or without long-chain polyunsaturates at 4 to 6 months: a randomized clinical trial.
OBJECTIVE Breast-fed infants receive docosahexaenoic acid ( DHA ) and arachidonic acid ( ARA ) in their diet . Upon weaning , infants lose this dietary source of long-chain polyunsaturates because many commercial formulas do not contain these important constituents for neural membrane biogenesis . We evaluated the benefits of postweaning dietary supplementation of DHA + ARA on visual maturation . STUDY DESIGN Healthy term infants ( n = 61 ) were breast-fed to 4 to 6 months , then were r and omly assigned to commercial formula or formula supplemented with DHA ( 0.36 % ) + ARA ( 0.72 % ) . Measurements of red blood cell ( RBC ) fatty acids , visually evoked potential ( VEP ) acuity , and stereoacuity were done before and after weaning . RESULTS At 1 year of age , RBC-DHA in the commercial formula-fed group was reduced by 50 % from the weaning level , whereas there was a 24 % increase in the DHA + ARA-supplemented group . The primary outcome measure , VEP acuity , was significantly more mature in supplemented infants at 1 year of age . Elevated RBC-DHA levels were associated with more mature VEP acuity . There were no significant diet-related differences in stereoacuity . CONCLUSIONS These data extend through the first year of life the critical period in which a dietary supply of DHA and ARA can contribute in optimizing visual development in term 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 .