Failure to Achieve Recommended ω‐3 DHA Intake During Pregnancy: Nutrition Education Needed

Abstract

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommends pregnant or breastfeeding women consume 8–12 oz of seafood/week, translating to an average DHA+EPA intake of 200–250 mg/day. In an on‐going study of overweight pregnant women in Louisiana, we assessed dietary intake and fatty acid status of red blood cells (RBC) mid‐pregnancy. Women (n=10, 20–34 years of age) entered the study at 17–20 weeks of pregnancy (age: n=5 ≥25 y, n=5 <25 y; ethnicity: n=5 African American, n=5 White; SES: n=5 low SES, n=5 med/high SES). Dietary intake was assessed by repeated (n=7) 24‐hour dietary recalls using the University of Minnesota Nutrient Data System for Research (NDSR). Red blood cell fatty acid concentrations were determined with gas chromatography at the time of study entrance. The relative weight percentage (wt%) of each RBC fatty acid identified was determined from the retention time. On average, women consumed 93±59 mg DHA+EPA/day via diet; n=1 achieved the recommended intake of 200 mg/day. Taking prenatal supplementation into consideration, the average DHA+EPA intake was 199±96 mg/day; n=5 achieved the recommended intake of 200 mg/day. While all enrolled women (n=10) consumed prenatal supplements during pregnancy, not all prenatal supplements contained DHA+EPA (n=1). On average, prenatal supplements provided an additional 121±77 mg DHA+EPA/day. Including prenatal supplement consumption, the average ω‐6:ω‐3 ratio was 1.01±0.78. There was a significant difference in DHA+EPA intake between the low SES and med/high SES women, (P=0.01); low SES had higher intake (255±70 mg/day) than med/high SES (115±78 mg/day). Ethnicity and age did not significantly affect DHA+EPA intake (P≥0.3). The top 5 dietary sources of DHA+EPA were crawfish, chicken, shrimp, eggs, and crab. Other seafood sources commonly consumed included catfish, oysters, and tilapia. In terms of fatty acid status, the wt% of RBC DHA was 9.25±1.3 (range: 7.33–11.05) and RBC EPA was 0.14±0.03 (range: 0.1–0.22). There were no significant differences in RBC DHA+EPA status for SES, age, or ethnicity (P≥0.2). Furthermore, there was no correlation between DHA+EPA intake and RBC concentrations (r=−0.06). The latter observation may be explained, in part, by the fact that DHA is preferentially transferred across the placenta to meet fetal demands during gestation. These data point to a need for nutrition education for pregnant women and women of childbearing ages regarding the importance of consuming fish varieties that are highly enriched in DHA+EPA.Support or Funding InformationFunded in part by: LSU Undergraduate Research Grant (C Thaxton); USDA AFRI 2012‐67017‐19293 (CJL‐K); and LSU AgCenter.