Workshop on the essentiality of and recommended dietary intakes for omega-6 and omega-3 Fatty acids

Intakes of PUFA are Low in Preschool-aged Children in the Guelph Family Health Study Pilot Cohort

This study investigated intakes of total, n-3, and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in 109 preschool-aged children who participated in the Guelph Family Health Study pilot. Intakes of total, n-3, and n-6 PUFA did not meet recommendations. This study highlights the need for additional monitoring and potential interventions to improve PUFA intake in preschool-aged children. Clinical trial #NCT02223234. Novelty: Canadian preschool-aged children are not consuming enough n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Dietary Intakes of EPA and DHA Omega-3 Fatty Acids among US Childbearing-Age and Pregnant Women: An Analysis of NHANES 2001-2014

BACKGROUND

The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommend that the general population should consume about 8 ounces (oz.) per week of a variety of seafood, providing approximately 250 mg per day of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and that pregnant and lactating women should consume 8–12 oz. per week of seafood.

METHODS

We determined the usual intakes, percentage not meeting recommendations, and trends in EPA and DHA intakes among childbearing-age and pregnant women (15–44 years of age) using the NHANES cycles 2001–2002 through 2013–2014.

RESULTS

For the childbearing-age women, the mean usual intake of seafood was 0.44 ± 0.02 oz. equivalent per day and 100% of the population was below the DGA recommendation. Mean usual intakes of EPA, DHA, and combined EPA and DHA from foods and dietary supplements combined were 26.8 ± 1.4, 62.2 ± 1.9, and 88.1 ± 3.0 mg per day, respectively. Over 95% of the sample did not meet the daily intakes of 250 mg EPA and DHA. Similar results were observed for pregnant women. After controlling for covariates, there were slight but significant increases in EPA and DHA intakes from foods and dietary supplements over the 14-year span among childbearing-age (p = 0.005) and pregnant women (p = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

It was estimated that a majority of U.S. childbearing-age and pregnant women consumed significantly lower amounts of seafood than what the DGA recommends, which subsequently leads to low intakes of EPA and DHA; in addition, dietary supplement use has not eliminated the nutrient shortfall.

ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ ЖИРНОКИСЛОТНОГО СКЛАДУ ЛІПІДІВ СУХИХ РИБО-РОСЛИННИХ НАПІВФАБРИКАТІВ

Досліджено жирнокислотний склад ліпідів сухих рибо-рослинних напівфабрикатів на основі фаршів з бичка азово-чорноморського та суміші рослинних інгредієнтів (шротів насіння льону, висівок пшеничних, вівсяних та житніх), вивчено показники їх біологічної ефективності. Наведені експериментальні дані свідчать про значний вміст у розроблених напівфабрикатах ессенціальних жирних кислот, зокрема ω-3. Встановлено, що за більшістю розрахованих показників біологічної ефективності ліпіди рибо-рослинних напівфабрикатів відповідають оптимальним значенням. Науково обґрунтовано переваги застосування розроблених напівфабрикатів як джерел біологічно активних речовин (незамінних амінокислот, ессенціальних жирних кислот, мінеральних речовин, вітамінів групи В та ін.) у виробництві широкого спектру харчових продуктів, зокрема кулінарної продукції, хлібобулочних виробів, снекової продукції, концентратів, сухих формованих продуктів. Це дозволить моделювати ліпідний склад цільового продукту та розширити асортимент доступної у сегменті масового і соціального харчування продукції. Враховуючи існуючі наукові дані щодо широкого спектру клініко-фармакологічних ефектів ω-3 поліненасичених жирних кислот (гіпотригліцеридемічний, антиатерогенний, антиаритмічний, гіпохолестеринемічний, антитромбогенний, протизапальний та гіпотензивний) можна рекомендувати сухі рибо-рослинні напівфабрикати для використання у виробництві продукції здорового харчування.

Prenatal Omega-3 Supplementation and Eczema Risk among Offspring at Age 36 Months

BACKGROUND

Long-term follow-up was completed in 84 mother-infant pairs of 118 women who completed a randomized controlled trial of prenatal supplementation with EPA- or DHA-rich fish oil or soy oil placebo. The goal of this study was to determine whether prenatal omega-3 fatty acid supplementation protects offspring against development of early childhood allergies.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

Assessment of childhood allergic/atopic disease among offspring at age 36 months was performed by maternal interview using the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) questions for childhood digestive allergies, wheezing, eczema or skin allergy, and respiratory allergy. Multiple logistic regressions examined the association between prenatal supplementation and childhood outcomes, adjusted for covariates. Eczema was reported in 26/84 (31%) of offspring at age 36 months, and was significantly more prevalent in the omega-3 supplementation groups vs. placebo: EPA 13/31 (41.9%); DHA 10/26 (38.5%); placebo 3/27 (11.1%), p=0.019. Compared to placebo, EPA and DHA were associated with ≥5 times risk of offspring eczema [odds ratios (ORs): EPA 5.8 (95% CI 1.4-23.3); DHA 5.0 (95% CI 1.2-21.0)]. After adjusting for other potential risk factors (race, birth weight, vaginal/Cesarean delivery, and maternal eczema) the magnitudes of association for omega-3 supplementation increased: EPA OR 8.1 (95% CI 1.4-45.6); DHA OR 9.6 (95% CI 1.6-58.5). Maternal eczema was also significantly associated with offspring eczema in the adjusted model: OR 10.8 (95% CI 2.1-54.3).

CONCLUSION

Contrary to our hypothesis, acids supplementation compared to soy oil was associated with a substantial increase in risk of childhood eczema. This association was not observed on childhood respiratory or digestive outcomes. It is unclear if these findings were driven by unfavorable effects of omega-3s, or whether there may have been unanticipated protective effects of the soy-based placebo with regards to eczema.

Self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system of docosahexanoic acid: development, in vitro, in vivo characterization

CONTEXT

Docosahexanoic acid (DHA) is an essential omega-3 fatty acid for normal brain development and its use has increased considerably in recent years.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to develop and evaluate self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS) of DHA for improved palatability, dispersibility and bioavailability.

METHODS

The SNEDDS were prepared and evaluated for miscibility, employing different combinations of olive oil and soyabean oil as oil phase, Span 80, Span 20, soya phosphatidylcholine, Labrafil M 1944 CS as surfactants while Tween 80, PEG 400, Cremophor RH40 and propylene glycol as cosurfactants. Thermodynamically stable SNEDDS were characterized for dispersibility, self-emulsification time, droplet size, zeta potential along with sensory analysis. The optimized formulation was subjected to ex vivo and in vivo evaluation such as intestinal permeability, memory performance test, brain concentration and histopathology studies.

RESULTS

The optimized SNEDDS formulation showed emulsification time of 27 ± 4.7 s with droplet size of 17.6 ± 3.5 nm and zeta potential of -37.6 ± 0.5 mV. Intestinal absorption study depicted 18.3%, 21.5%, 41.5%, 98.7% absorption of DHA with SNEDDS-based formulation in comparison to 8.2%, 15.1%, 28.8%, 46.1% absorption of DHA with oil-based marketed formulation after 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 h. DHA concentration in brain homogenate was found to be increased to 2.6-fold in comparison to DHA-marketed formulation. This could be ascribed to enhanced dispersibility and bioavailability of DHA from nanosized formulation.

CONCLUSION

The developed formulation led to enhanced dispersibility and bioavailability of DHA due to the formation of nanodroplets.

Efficacy of docosahexaenoic acid-enriched formula to enhance maternal and fetal blood docosahexaenoic acid levels: Randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial of pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) compromises the level of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in phospholipids of maternal and fetal red blood cells and fetal plasma. This is of some concern because of the importance of DHA for fetal neuro-visual development. We have investigated whether this abnormality could be rectified by supplementation with DHA-enriched formula.

METHODS

Women with GDM (n = 138) recruited from Newham University Hospital, London received two capsules of DHA-enriched formula (active-group) or high oleic acid sunflower seed oil (placebo-group) from diagnosis until delivery. Maternal (baseline and delivery) and fetal (cord blood) red blood cell and plasma phospholipid fatty acid composition, and neonatal anthropometry were assessed.

RESULTS

One hundred and fourteen women (58 active, 56 placebo) completed the trial. The active-group compared with the placebo-group had significantly enhanced level of DHA in plasma phosphatidylcholine (4.5% vs 3.8%, P = 0.011), red blood cell phosphatidylcholine (2.7% vs 2.2%, P = 0.022) and phosphatidylethoanolamine (9.5% vs 7.6%, P = 0.002). There was no difference in cord plasma and red blood cell phospholipid DHA between the two groups. The neonates of the two groups of women had comparable anthropometric measurements at birth.

CONCLUSION

Daily supplementation of 600 mg DHA enhances maternal but not fetal DHA status in pregnancy complicated by GDM. The inefficacy of the supplement to improve fetal status suggests that the transfer of DHA across the placenta maybe impaired in women with the condition. Regardless of the mechanisms responsible for the impairment of the transfer, the finding has implications for the management of neonates of women with GDM because they are born with a reduced level of DHA and the condition is thought to be associated with a risk of neuro-developmental deficits. We suggest that babies of women with GDM, particularly those not suckling, similar to the babies born prematurely require formula milk fortified with a higher level of DHA.

Key role of dietary fats in coronary heart disease under progressive urbanization and nutritional transitionh

The increased vulnerability to non-communicable diseases (NCD) of developing populations experiencing a demographic and epidemiological transitions to increased risk of NCD at a time when the battle against infectious diseases, is ongoing. Apart from population growth, the major attributes of developmental transition are confined to changes in occupational pattern in family structure, lifestyle, dietary practices and progressive ageing of population. The emergence of the NCD is significantly associated with changes in dietary pattern, in most of the countries. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in developed countries and the incidence is increasing in developing countries, including India. The disease needs awareness of the risk factors responsible for prevention. The purpose of this review is to present an overview of the role of dietary fats in growth and development and in health and disease. Although the causation of CHD is multifaceted and the risk factors associated in general are several, there are specific and important elements, such as dietary fats and lifestyle. Dietary fats are an important component as they serve a number of functions in the body. The minimum desirable and upper limits of fat intake have been given, based on recommendations of expert groups. Sources of different fats are made available worldwide and the production, consumption, storage, oxidation and nomenclature are being discussed in the light of health and disease. The relative essentiality of the omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids is recognized in terms of pharmacologically active eicosanoid metabolism. Nevertheless, epidemiological, physiological and clinical studies have demonstrated that long-chain omega-3 fatty acids present in fish oils have quite diverse health benefits. Appropriate guidelines need to be recommended at a national level consistent with dietary habits. The ratios of balanced fatty acids, namely omega-11, omega-9, omega-6 and omega-3, should be worked out appropriately in ameliorating nutrition-related disease states. Any simple dietary modification that can lead to a substantial reduction in morbidity and mortality from CHD would be of great medical, social and economic benefit.

Decline in fish consumption among pregnant women after a national mercury advisory

OBJECTIVE

A well-publicized January 2001 federal advisory recommended that pregnant women limit consumption of certain fish because of concerns about mercury contamination. We endeavored to estimate the extent to which pregnant women changed fish consumption habits after dissemination of this national advisory.

METHODS

We performed interrupted time series analysis of data from a cohort of pregnant women (2235 who completed at least one dietary questionnaire) visiting obstetric offices in a multispecialty group practice in eastern Massachusetts, surveyed before the advisory from April 1999 through December 2000 and after the advisory from April 2001 through February 2002. Main outcome measures were consumption of total fish and of four fish types: canned tuna, dark meat fish, shellfish, and white meat fish. Subjects reported fish consumption on semiquantitative food frequency questionnaires administered at each trimester of pregnancy.

RESULTS

We observed diminished consumption of dark meat fish, canned tuna, and white meat fish after the national mercury advisory. These decreases resulted in a reduction in total fish consumption of approximately 1.4 servings per month (95% confidence interval 0.7, 2.0) from December 2000 to April 2001, with ongoing declines through the end of the study period. There was no change in shellfish intake.

CONCLUSION

After dissemination of federal recommendations, pregnant women in this cohort reported reduced consumption of fish, including tuna, dark meat fish, and white meat fish. Because these fish may confer nutritional benefits to mother and infant, public health implications of these changes remain unclear.