Lipid-soluble nutrient status of healthy Omani school children before and after intervention with oily fish meal or re-esterified triacylglycerol fish oil.
OBJECTIVE
Over the past two decades, the Omani diet has changed considerably to resemble a high calorie and a low nutrient density Western diet. We investigated the fat soluble nutrient status of children before and after intervention with fish diet or fish oil.


METHODS
Children ages 9 and 10 y (n = 314) were recruited from three randomly selected schools. The schools were assigned to a fish, fish oil, or control group and the children were given a lightly grilled oily fish, a re-esterified triacylglycerol fish oil capsule, or no fish for 12 wk.


RESULTS
Plasma vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin E concentrations, and vitamin E/total lipid ratio at baseline were 2.7 ± 0.85 μmol/L, 0.68 ± 0.48 μmol/L, 21.1 ± 4.8 μmol/L, and 5.0 ± 0.81 μmol/mmol, respectively, and none of the children were deficient. They were severely deficient (<27.5 nmol/L; 10.5% boys and 28.5% girls), deficient (27.5-44.9 nmol/L; 47.6% boys and 49.4% girls) or insufficient (50-74.9 nmol/L; 34.6% boys and 21.5% girls) in vitamin D; only 7.3% boys and 0.6% girls had optimal status (≥75 nmol/L). Parathyroid hormone (5.0 ± 1.7 versus 5.8 ± 2.1 pmol/L; P < 0.0001) and alkaline phosphatase (225.2 ± 66.6 versus 247.8 ± 73.7 U/L; P < 0.01) levels were lower in boys. Postintervention, the fish oil (54.1 ± 17.5 nmol/L; P < 0.001) and fish (49.2 ± 17.4 nmol/L; P < 0.05) groups had elevated levels of vitamin D compared with the controls (42.3 ± 17.5 nmol/L).


CONCLUSIONS
Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in Omani school children, but it can be mitigated with omega-3 fatty acid supplementation. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in skeletal and extraskeletal systems. Hence, there is a need for a child-focused program of food fortification and outdoor activities to alleviate the problem.
Lipidomics and Nutrition Research Centre, Faculty of Life Sciences and Computing, London Metropolitan University, London, UK; Ministry of Health, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.
Samia S
SS
Al-Ghannami
Lipidomics and Nutrition Research Centre, Faculty of Life Sciences and Computing, London Metropolitan University, London, UK.
Eva
E
Sedlak
Lipidomics and Nutrition Research Centre, Faculty of Life Sciences and Computing, London Metropolitan University, London, UK.
Izzeldin S
IS
Hussein
Lipidomics and Nutrition Research Centre, Faculty of Life Sciences and Computing, London Metropolitan University, London, UK.
Yoeju
Y
Min
Ministry of Health, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.
Saleh M
SM
Al-Shmmkhi
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Wealth, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.
Hamed S
HS
Al-Oufi
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Wealth, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.
Ahmed
A
Al-Mazroui
Lipidomics and Nutrition Research Centre, Faculty of Life Sciences and Computing, London Metropolitan University, London, UK. Electronic address: k.ghebremeskel@londonmet.ac.uk.
Kebreab
K
Ghebremeskel
D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005399:Fishes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009850:Oman / Q000453:epidemiology; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D015995:Prevalence; D017747:Seafood; D012737:Sex Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology
D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005395:Fish Oils; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D014280:Triglycerides; D014807:Vitamin D; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase
Beta carotene; Deficiency; Fish oil; Parathyroid hormone; Vitamin A, D and E