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 .
Docosahexaenoic Acid in Red Blood Cells of Term Infants Receiving Two Levels of Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids
Objectives : A r and omized , double-blind , prospect i ve trial assessed effects of different formula levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids on blood phospholipid docosahexaenoic ( DHA ; 22:6&ohgr;3 ) and arachidonic acids ( ARA ; 20:4&ohgr;6 ) in term infants at 120 days of age . Methods : Healthy , formula-fed term infants ( n = 78 ) were r and omized to 1 ) routine milk-based formula with 8 mg DHA , 21 mg ARA , 110 mg & agr;-linolenic ( ALA ; 18:3&ohgr;3 ) , and 1,000 mg linoleic acids ( LA ; 18:2&ohgr;6 ) per 100 kcal ( Lower-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids [ LCPUFA ] ; n = 39 ) or 2 ) routine milk-based formula  with 17 mg DHA , 34 mg ARA , 85 mg ALA , and 860 mg LA per 100 kcal ( Higher-LCPUFA ; n = 39 ) . Fatty acid methyl esters from red blood cell ( RBC ) and plasma phospholipid fractions were assessed using capillary column gas chromatography . Results : Compared with infants fed Lower-LCPUFA formula , the Higher-LCPUFA group had significantly greater percentages of fatty acids as DHA in RBC phosphatidylethanolamine ( PE ) , RBC phosphatidylcholine ( PC ) , total RBC , and plasma phospholipids ( P < 0.001 ) . Infants fed Lower-LCPUFA formula had higher percentages of precursor & ohgr;6 fatty acids in the desaturation/elongation pathway but lower percentages of ARA ( RBC PE , RBC PC , and plasma phospholipid , P < 0.001 ; total RBC , P = 0.017 ) compared with the Higher-LCPUFA group . Conclusions : Greater amounts of dietary ALA do not produce as great an increase in DHA in blood lipids as preformed dietary DHA . Infants fed DHA at levels similar to human milk had significantly greater percentage of DHAat 120 days of age compared with the Lower-LCPUFA group despite higher precursor levels of ALA
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 .