The Impact of Nutritional Fatty Acids during Pregnancy and Lactation on Early Human Adipose Tissue Development (original) (raw)
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The role of dietary fatty acids for early human adipose tissue growth
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2013
Childhood obesity is increasing worldwide, and all previous attempts to stop this epidemic have shown little success. There is now growing evidence that the risk of childhood obesity is strongly influenced by perinatal determinants, including prepregnancy body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain, and-at least in animal studiesdietary factors during pregnancy and lactation. This review addresses the issue of whether modulation of fat intake and its composition in this early-life period has a potential for primary prevention of childhood obesity. Of particular interest is the question of whether supplementation with n-3 long-chain PUFAs (LC-PUFAs) may exert an antiobesity effect. Retrospective analysis of human randomized controlled trials with fish-oil intervention during pregnancy and lactation gave inconsistent results concerning BMI and obesity development in offspring. A recent prospective human intervention study aimed at reducing the n-6:n-3 LC-PUFA ratio did not show an effect on adipose tissue growth in offspring up to the age of 1 y. Therefore, there is currently little evidence to support the hypothesis that dietary intervention to modify fat composition during pregnancy and lactation would be a promising strategy to prevent childhood obesity in humans, but more research is clearly needed to address the question if and how the risk of developing obesity can be modified by dietary intervention early in life.
Journal of Perinatology, 2014
The adjusted effect of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) intake during pregnancy on adiposity at birth of healthy full-term appropriate-for-gestational age neonates was evaluated. STUDY DESIGN: In a cross-sectional convenience sample of 100 mother and infant dyads, LCPUFA intake during pregnancy was assessed by food frequency questionnaire with nutrient intake calculated using Food Processor Plus. Linear regression models for neonatal body composition measurements, assessed by air displacement plethysmography and anthropometry, were adjusted for maternal LCPUFA intakes, energy and macronutrient intakes, prepregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain. RESULT: Positive associations between maternal docosahexaenoic acid intake and ponderal index in male offspring (β = 0.165; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.031-0.299; P = 0.017), and between n-6:n-3 LCPUFA ratio intake and fat mass (β = 0.021; 95% CI: 0.002-0.041; P = 0.034) and percentage of fat mass (β = 0.636; 95% CI: 0.125-1.147; P = 0.016) in female offspring were found. CONCLUSION: Using a reliable validated method to assess body composition, adjusted positive associations between maternal docosahexaenoic acid intake and birth size in male offspring and between n-6:n-3 LCPUFA ratio intake and adiposity in female offspring were found, suggesting that maternal LCPUFA intake strongly influences fetal body composition.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2011
Background: The composition of long-chain PUFAs (LCPUFAs) in the maternal diet may affect obesity risk in the mother's offspring. Objective: We hypothesized that a reduction in the n26 (omega-6): n23 (omega-3) LCPUFA ratio in the diet of pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers may prevent expansive adipose tissue growth in their infants during the first year of life. Design: In a randomized controlled trial, 208 healthy pregnant women were randomly assigned to an intervention (1200 mg n23 LCPUFAs as a supplement per day and a concomitant reduction in arachidonic acid intake) or a control diet from the 15th wk of pregnancy to 4 mo of lactation. The primary outcome was infant fat mass estimated by skinfold thickness (SFT) measurements at 4 body sites at 3-5 d, 6 wk, and 4 and 12 mo postpartum. Secondary endpoints included sonographic assessment of abdominal subcutaneous and preperitoneal fat, fat distribution, and child growth. Results: Infants did not differ in the sum of their 4 SFTs at 1 y of life [intervention: 24.1 6 4.4 mm (n = 85); control: 24.1 6 4.1 mm (n = 80); mean difference: 20.0 mm (95% CI: 21.3, 1.3 mm)] or in growth. Likewise, longitudinal ultrasonography showed no significant differences in abdominal fat mass or fat distribution. Conclusions: We showed no evidence that supplementation with n23 fatty acids and instructions to reduce arachidonic acid intake during pregnancy and lactation relevantly affects fat mass in offspring during the first year of life. Prospective long-term studies are needed to explore the efficacy of this dietary approach for primary prevention. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00362089.
Background: Maternal nҀ3, nҀ6, and trans fatty acids are claimed to affect fetal growth, yet evidence is limited. Objective: We investigated the association between maternal nҀ3, nҀ6, and trans fatty acids measured early in pregnancy and fetal growth. Design: Amsterdam pregnant women (n ҃ 12 373) were invited to complete a questionnaire (response 67%) and donate blood around the 12th pregnancy week for nutrient analysis. For 4336 women, fatty acid concentrations were measured in plasma phospholipids (gas-liquid chromatography). Associations of these concentrations with birth weight and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) risk were analyzed (liveborn singleton term deliveries, n ҃ 3704). Results: Low concentrations of individual nҀ3 fatty acids and 20:3nҀ6, the precursor of arachidonic acid (20:4nҀ6), but high concentrations of the other nҀ6 fatty acids and the main dietary trans fatty acid (18:1nҀ9t) were associated with lower birth weight (estimated difference in univariate analysis Ҁ52 to Ҁ172 g for extreme quintile compared with middle quintile). In general, SGA risk increased accordingly. After adjustment for physiologic, lifestylerelated and sociodemographic factors, low concentrations of most nҀ3 fatty acids and 20:3nҀ6 and high concentrations of 20:4nҀ6 remained associated with lower birth weight (Ҁ52 to Ҁ57 g), higher SGA risk, or both (odds ratios: 1.38 -1.50). Infants of the 7% of women with the most adverse fatty acid profile were on average 125 g lighter and twice as likely to be small for gestational age. Conclusion: An adverse maternal fatty acid profile early in pregnancy is associated with reduced fetal growth, which, if confirmed, gives perspective for the dietary prevention of lower birth weight.
PEDIATRICS, 2001
Objective. There have been indications that high intake of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) during pregnancy may increase birth weight and gestational length. In addition, n-3 longchain PUFAs may be important for the neurobiological development of the infants. High levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3) are found in the gray matter of the cerebral cortex and in the retina, and it seems as if the availability of long-chain PUFAs may be limiting cerebral development. The fetus and the newborn are dependent on a high supply from their mothers, either via the placenta or via breast milk. We supplemented pregnant and lactating women with n-3 or n-6 long-chain PUFAs to evaluate the effect on birth weight, gestational length, and infant development.
Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, 2011
Dietary n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) reduce adipogenesis and lipogenesis in adult rodents, but it is not clear whether an increased n-3 LCPUFA supply during the perinatal period influences body fat mass in the offspring. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the existing evidence from animal studies, which have addressed this question. Medline was searched for relevant articles. Studies were included if they involved maternal n-3 PUFA or LCPUFA supplementation and measured fat mass in the offspring. The design and quality of each study was assessed. Only four animal studies met our inclusion criteria. Three studies reported a lower fat mass in offspring of n-3 LCPUFA supplemented dams, however only one of these studies confined the intervention to the perinatal period. The dose of n-3 PUFA, the nature of the control treatment, the approaches used and outcomes assessed differed between studies. This review highlights the paucity of robust animal data as to the effect of increased n-3 LCPUFA exposure during the perinatal period alone, on body fat mass in the offspring and calls for further studies.
n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in milk is associate to weight gain and growth in premature infants
Lipids in Health and Disease, 2009
Background: Linoleic 18:2 (n-6) and α-linolenic 18:3 (n-3) essential fatty acids and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) are essential nutrients for growth and neonatal development. Consumption of preformed n-3 LC-PUFA has been shown to increase gestational duration and to decrease the incidence of premature birth in human studies. This study evaluated the association of essential fatty acids and LC-PUFA in breast milk on the growth of premature children (weight, height and head circumference).
Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, 2018
This study investigates relations of maternal N-3 and N-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) intake during pregnancy with offspring body mass index (BMI), height z-score and metabolic risk (fasting glucose, C-peptide, leptin, lipid profile) during peripuberty (8–14 years) among 236 mother–child pairs in Mexico. We used food frequency questionnaire data to quantify trimester-specific intake of N-3 alpha-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA); N-6 linoleic acid and arachidonic acid (AA); and N-6:N-3 (AA:EPA+DHA), which accounts for the fact that the two PUFA families have opposing effects on physiology. Next, we used multivariable linear regression models that accounted for maternal education and parity, and child’s age, sex and pubertal status, to examine associations of PUFA intake with the offspring outcomes. In models where BMI z-score was the outcome, we also adjusted for height z-score. We found that higher second trimester intake of EPA, DHA ...
Maternal Fatty Acids and Their Association with Birth Outcome: A Prospective Study
PloS one, 2016
Maternal nutrition, especially LCPUFA, is an important factor in determining fetal growth and development. Our earlier cross sectional study reports lower docosahexanoic acid (DHA) levels at the time of delivery in mothers delivering low birth weight (LBW) babies. This study was undertaken to examine the role of the maternal omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid profile across the gestation in fetal growth. This is a hospital based study where women were recruited in early gestation. Maternal blood was collected at 3 time points, i.e., T1 = 16th-20th week, T2 = 26th-30th week and T3 = at delivery. Cord blood was collected at delivery. At delivery, these women were divided into 2 groups: those delivering at term a baby weighing >2.5kg [Normal birth weight (NBW) group] and those delivering at term a baby weighing <2.5kg [LBW group]. The study reports data on 111 women recruited at T1, out of which 60 women delivered an NBW baby at term and 51 women delivered an LBW baby at term. Fatty ...