title: Maternal plasma n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations during pregnancy and subcutaneous fat mass in infancy.
abstract: The associations of maternal plasma n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrations during pregnancy with infant subcutaneous fat were examined.
  
  
  
  In a population-based prospective cohort study among 904 mothers and their infants, maternal plasma n-3 and n-6 PUFA concentrations were measured at midpregnancy. Body mass index, total subcutaneous fat, and central-to-total subcutaneous fat ratio were calculated at 1.5, 6, and 24 months.
  
  
  
  Maternal n-3 PUFA levels were not consistently associated with infant body mass index or total subcutaneous fat. Higher maternal total n-3 PUFA levels, and specifically eicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid, were associated with higher central-to-total subcutaneous fat ratio at 1.5 months, whereas higher maternal total n-3 PUFA levels were associated with lower central-to-total subcutaneous fat ratio at 6 months (all P values < 0.05). These associations were not present at 24 months. Maternal n-6 PUFA levels were not consistently associated with infant subcutaneous fat. A higher n-6/n-3 ratio was associated with lower central-to-total subcutaneous fat ratio at 1.5 months only (P value < 0.05).
  
  
  
  Maternal n-3 PUFA levels during pregnancy may have transient effects on infant subcutaneous fat. Further studies are needed to assess the effects of maternal PUFA concentrations on fat mass development during early infancy.
authors.affiliation: The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jelena Vidakovic
authors.affiliation: The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|EPI-Unit, Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Pediatrics, Divisions of Respiratory Medicine and Neonatology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Liesbeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Duijts
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Pediatrics, Division of Metabolic Medicine, Dr. Von Hauner Children's Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich Medical Center, München, Germany.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofman
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Metabolic Medicine, Dr. Von Hauner Children's Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich Medical Center, München, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Demmelmair
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Metabolic Medicine, Dr. Von Hauner Children's Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich Medical Center, München, Germany.
authors.forename: Berthold
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Koletzko
authors.affiliation: The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Vincent W V
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Jaddoe
authors.affiliation: The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Romy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gaillard
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000097:blood*; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000097:blood*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; C026219:docosapentaenoic acid