Register for Adding Fatty Acids To Term Infant Formula Not Beneficial
Diet And NutritionSeptember 3, 2001
2001 SEP 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- One of the largest studies published to date showed no benefit for term infants who were fed a leading brand of infant formula supplemented with select fatty acids.
A study of 404 term infants investigated the addition of two fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA), to a standard infant formula. There were no developmental benefits seen in infants fed the DHA and AA supplemented formula, when compared with infants fed either an unsupplemented version of the same infant formula or a group of breast-fed infants.
The findings support a previous study that had shown no benefit in adding DHA and AA to the same term formula but differ from some studies with other standard term infant formulas that had pointed to a possible benefit of adding DHA and AA. DHA and AA are long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids that are important for brain and eye development in infants. During the last trimester of pregnancy, a baby receives DHA and AA through the mother's placenta. Once born, a breast-fed baby receives small amounts of these fatty acids from breast milk. The baby's body also can naturally produce DHA and AA from alpha linolenic acid and linoleic acid, two precursor essential fatty acids that are provided in varying amounts in breast milk and infant formulas.
The study was published in the August 2001 issue of Pediatrics.
"Researchers have been studying the question of whether adding DHA and AA to infant formula offers a benefit," said Robert Hall, MD, Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Kansas City, Missouri. "This large study conducted at leading medical centers shows that by consuming appropriate levels of alpha linolenic and linoleic acids, the precursors to DHA and AA, term infants appear to produce the DHA and AA they need for visual, mental and psychomotor development."
"Along with their baby's doctor, parents must carefully evaluate the formula they choose to feed their infants because not all infant formulas contain the same blend of fats to provide essential fatty acids," said William C. MacLean, Jr., MD, Ross Products Division of Abbott Laboratories, the sponsor of the study. "SimilacR With Iron, the formula used in this study, provides a fat blend shown to support growth and visual and mental development no different from babies who are breast-fed. However, outcomes from some studies suggest other formulas may need added DHA and AA to achieve these same results."
Supplementing a preterm formula with DHA and AA appears to be beneficial for preterm infants. In a second study of 470 preterm infants, also published in the August 2001 issue of Pediatrics, those fed a preterm infant formula supplemented with DHA and AA showed improved visual development. Researchers suspect the different outcomes between preterm and term infants may be attributed to the fact that preterm infants miss out on the DHA and AA normally supplied by the mother in the last trimester of pregnancy. After birth, term infants apparently can meet their DHA and AA needs from the essential fatty acids in their diet - either from breast milk or an infant formula containing an appropriate fat blend providing the precursors of DHA and AA, alpha linolenic and linoleic acids.
"Diet plays a critical role in an infant's early development. If a mother is not breastfeeding, infant formula is likely to be the sole source of nutrition for her baby. Any changes to infant formula should be made carefully and only after there is scientific consensus that it's beneficial," said Hall. This article was prepared by Health & Medicine Week editors from staff and other reports.
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