Relation between dietary fat intake type and serum fatty acid status in children with cystic fibrosis.
OBJECTIVE
Children with cystic fibrosis (CF) and pancreatic insufficiency (PI) are at risk for fatty acid (FA) abnormalities and essential FA deficiency, with low linoleic acid (LA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) concentrations and abnormal triene:tetraene (T:T) and arachidonic acid (AA):DHA ratios. The aim of the article was to determine whether type of dietary fat predicted serum LA, DHA, T:T, and AA:DHA ratios in subjects with CF and PI as compared to an unaffected comparison group.


METHODS
Serum FA concentrations were assessed by capillary gas-liquid chromatography (mol%) and dietary intake by 7-day weighed food records; the 3-day coefficient of fat absorption was calculated. Total energy intake was expressed in kilocalories.


RESULTS
A total of 65 subjects with CF and PI (8.4 ± 1.0 years, 32 girls) and 22 controls (8.5 ± 1.1 years, 13 girls) were included. Despite greater energy, saturated fat, and LA intake, the subjects with CF had lower serum LA and DHA and higher T:T and AA:DHA than those in the comparison group. Dietary total fat, monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), LA, total ω 6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (Tω6PUFA), and α-linolenic acid (ALA) intake positively predicted serum LA concentration. MUFA, total ω 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (Tω3PUFA), and ALA intake positively predicted serum DHA concentration. Total dietary fat, MUFA, PUFA, Tω3PUFA, LA, and ALA intake negatively predicted serum T:T. ALA and Tω3PUFA intake negatively predicted serum AA:DHA.


CONCLUSIONS
Dietary fat patterns influenced serum LA, DHA, T:T, and AA:DHA in children with CF and PI. These data suggest that changes in dietary practices may result in FA profiles associated with improved clinical outcomes.
Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, PA 19104, USA. maqbool@email.chop.edu
Asim
A
Maqbool
Joan I
JI
Schall
Paul R
PR
Gallagher
Babette S
BS
Zemel
Birgitta
B
Strandvik
Virginia A
VA
Stallings
D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000097:blood*; D004032:Diet; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000097:blood*; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood*; D002149:Energy Intake; D010188:Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019787:Linoleic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000097:blood
D004041:Dietary Fats; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D019787:Linoleic Acid