PSYCHOMOTOR DEVELOPMENT OF TERM INFANTS RECEIVING LC-PUFA-ENRICHED FORMULA IN A PROSPECTIVE, RANDOMIZED, DOUBLE BLIND STUDY

Abstract

Aims: Recent clinical studies have shown the importance of dietary LC-PUFA supplementation in preterm infants. Our current study evaluates whether n-3 and n-6 LC-PUFA are required in formula-fed term infants for psychomotor development in the first 18 months of life. We report the first results of 2, 4 and 9 months of age. Methods: A total of 85 healthy term infants were included in the study. They received human milk (HM) or were randomized to a conventional formula (FM-) or LC-PUFA enriched formula (FM+) (docosahexaenoic acid, DHA: 0.5%; arachidonic acid, AA: 0.11% of total lipids). For psychomotor development the Griffiths developmental test was used. Fatty acids of red blood cells (RBC) and plasma phospholipids (PL), plasma triglycerides and sterol esters were seperated by high-resolution gas-liquid chromatography. Results: Psychomotor development, body weight, heigth, head circumferences and skin fold measurements were not significantly different among the dietary groups at 2, 4 and 9 months. The levels (%(wt/wt), medians, interquartile ranges) of selected fatty acids found in umbilical cord blood (UCB) and at 2 and 4 mon of age are shown in the table. Conclusions: Supplementation of formula with 0.5% DHA and 0.11% AA of total lipids caused significantly higher levels of DHA in RBC-PL in term infants in comparison to breast-fed infants and conventional formula fed infants. In plasma lipids AA content was significantly lower. Psychomotor development was not affected by LC-PUFA supplementation.