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 .
The Use of Low-EPA Fish Oil for Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Supplementation of Preterm Infants
Because docosahexaenoic acid ( DHA ) may be an essential nutrient for the visual and early cognitive development of preterm infants , DHA enrichment of preterm formulas has been recommended . This r and omized trial was design ed to study the n-6 and n-3 fatty acid status of healthy preterm infants fed a formula enriched with a low eicosapentaenoic-fish oil until 4 mo corrected age compared with that of infants fed a st and ard formula .  A reference group of breast-fed infants was studied concurrently . The fatty acid content of red blood cell ( RBC ) phospholipid was assessed at enrollment , hospital discharge , expected term , and 3 and 6 mo postterm . The DHA content of RBC phospholipid was higher in infants fed the enriched versus the st and ard formula at hospital discharge , expected term , and 3 and 6 mo postterm . However , compared with infants fed the st and ard formula , infants fed the enriched formula had also higher RBC phospholipid eicosapentaenoic content ( 0.69 ± 0.15%versus 0.25 ± 0.12 % , p < 0.001 ) , and lower RBC phospholipid arachidonic acid content ( 15.1 ± 0.93%versus 18.8 ± 0.89%;p < 0.001 ) . We conclude that supplementing preterm infants with low-eicosapentaenoic fish oil is effective in improving DHA status , but results in worsening of n-6 fatty acid status . We speculate that preterm infants may require a dietary supply of arachidonic acid as well as DHA if the same fatty acid status as that of breast-fed infants is to be achieved
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 .