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 .
Influence of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids on infant cognitive function
Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids ( LCPUFA ) are important for normal visual and cortical development . In a previous study of the effects of LCPUFA on cognitive function of term infants at the age of 3 mon , we indicated that infants with evidence of reduced growth parameters at birth and impaired attention control as manifested by a late peak fixation during infant habituation assessment may benefit from LCPUFA supplementation . The aim of this prospect i ve study was to determine whether LCPUFA supplementation and late peak fixation are related to means-end problem-solving ability in these same infants at the age of 9 mon . Term infants ( 58 ) were r and omized to one of two formulas containing either LCPUFA or no LCPUFA and completed 4 mon of feeding with their formula .  Cognitive function was assessed at 3 mon of age by measures of infant habituation . Infants ( 20 LCPUFA and 20 no-LCPUFA )  completed the problem-solving assessment at 9 mon . The no-LCPUFA group had lower scores on both measures of intention and number of solutions , but neither of these differences was significant . Analysis of covariance for the effects of group and peak fixation , covaried with gestation and birth weight , showed that the number of solutions was significantly reduced in the late peak-fixation infants receiving no LCPUFA ( P<0.02 ) . Intention scores tended to be reduced in this group ( P<0.06 ) . The late peak-fixation infants who received LCPUFA had solution and intention scores similar to early peak-fixation infants receiving LCPUFA or no LCPUFA . These findings suggest that in term infants who have reduced growth parameters at birth and who show evidence of impaired attention control , information processing and problem-solving ability in infancy may be enhanced by LCPUFA supplementation
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 .