title: Dietary essential fatty acid supply and visual acuity development.
abstract: The influence of dietary omega-3 fatty acid supply on visual acuity development was evaluated in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants using visual-evoked potential (VEP) and forced-choice preferential-looking (FPL) procedures at 36 and 57 wk postconception. The VLBW infants born at 27-33 wk postconception were randomized to one of three diet groups: corn oil, which provided solely linoleic acid; soy oil, which provided linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids; or soy/marine oil; which was similar to the soy oil formula but also provided preformed long chain omega-3 fatty acids. The VLBW infants in the soy/marine oil group had higher omega-3 levels in erythrocyte membranes and better VEP and FPL acuities at 36 and 57 wk than infants in the corn oil group. The soy oil group had intermediate omega-3 levels in erythrocyte membranes and significantly poorer VEP acuity at 57 wk compared with the soy/marine oil group. Only the soy/marine oil group had acuities comparable to the "gold standards" of VLBW infants fed human milk and preterm infants who were born and tested at 35-36 wk postconception. In addition, VEP and FPL acuity were poorer in a nonrandomized group of formula-fed full-term infants than in breast-fed full-term infants. The results suggest that dietary omega-3 fatty acid supply may play an important role in early human visual development.
authors.affiliation: Retina Foundation of the Southwest, Dallas, TX 75231.
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Birch
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Birch
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Uauy
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding; D003314:Corn Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D013024:Soybean Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005395:Fish Oils; D013024:Soybean Oil; D003314:Corn Oil