title: Fatty acid supply with complementary foods and LC-PUFA status in healthy infants: results of a randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Introduction of complementary food usually leads to decreasing intakes of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA), compared to full breastfeeding. In the randomised controlled PINGU intervention trial, we tested the effects of complementary foods with different contents of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on term infant LC-PUFA status.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy infants born at term were randomised to receive from the introduction of complementary feeding at the age of 4 to 6 months until age of 10 months ready-made complementary meals either with ALA-rich rapeseed oil (intervention group (IG)-R), with salmon twice weekly to provide preformed DHA (IG-F), or with linoleic acid-rich corn oil (control group, CG). Fatty acid composition was assessed in erythrocyte (RBC) and plasma glycerophospholipids.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete data of fatty acids in RBC (plasma) were available from 158 (155) infants. After intervention, infants assigned to IG-F showed higher RBC and plasma percentages of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), DHA, and total n-3 LC-PUFA than CG (each p < 0.001). In IG-R, levels of ALA and the ratio of ALA to LA in plasma and RBC (all p < 0.0001) as well as RBC-EPA (p < 0.0001) were higher than in CG, while DHA levels did not differ between IG-R and CG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regular fish consumption during complementary feeding enhances infant EPA and DHA status. The usage of rapeseed oil in small amounts concordant with EU-law for commercial meals enhances endogenic EPA-synthesis, but does not affect DHA status. Provision of oily fish with complementary feeds is advisable to prevent a decline of DHA status.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  www.clinicaltrials.gov , identifier: NCT01487889, title: Polyunsaturated fatty acids in child nutrition-a German multimodal optimisation study (PINGU).
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Child Nutrition (FKE) Dortmund, University of Bonn, Heinstueck 11, 44225, Dortmund, Germany. libuda@fke-do.de.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Libuda
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Child Nutrition (FKE) Dortmund, University of Bonn, Heinstueck 11, 44225, Dortmund, Germany.
authors.forename: Christina M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Mesch
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Child Nutrition (FKE) Dortmund, University of Bonn, Heinstueck 11, 44225, Dortmund, Germany.
authors.forename: Madlen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stimming
authors.affiliation: Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich Medical Centre, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Demmelmair
authors.affiliation: Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich Medical Centre, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Berthold
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Koletzko
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Warschburger
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Clinic Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blanke
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reischl
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Clinic Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany.
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kalhoff
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Child Nutrition (FKE) Dortmund, University of Bonn, Heinstueck 11, 44225, Dortmund, Germany.
authors.forename: Mathilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kersting
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D020404:Glycerophospholipids / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D019787:Linoleic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D005810:Multigene Family; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D000074262:Rapeseed Oil; D017747:Seafood; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D020404:Glycerophospholipids; D010938:Plant Oils; D000074262:Rapeseed Oil; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases
keywords: Alpha-linolenic acid; Complementary feeding; Complementary food; DHA; DHA status; Fish; Rapeseed oil