Simple dietary criteria to improve serum n-3 fatty acid levels of mothers and their infants.
Sufficient maternal dietary intake of n-3 fatty acids (FA) supports offspring development. We aimed to construct simple criteria for dietary counselling to improve intake of n-3 FA.



Serum phospholipid FA from mothers and infants were analysed by GC one month after delivery. Dietary intake of foods during pregnancy and one month after delivery were recorded using 3 d food diaries and an index for healthy eating was calculated. Fish consumption was established by questionnaires. Dietary consumption of foods resulting in an increase in serum n-3 FA was defined.



A mother-child follow-up study in Southwest Finland.



Mothers (n 90) and 1-month-old infants (n 63).



After delivery, the mother's consumption of fish at least three times per week resulted in an increase in total serum n-3 FA (mean difference (95 % CI): 1·7 (0·7, 2·8) % of total FA, P<0·001) and DHA (1·1 (0·5, 1·8) % of total FA, P<0·001) compared with non-consumers. Persistent fish intake once weekly throughout pregnancy increased total serum n-3 FA (P=0·001) and DHA (P<0·001). Overall, a healthy diet (middle and highest tertiles of healthy eating index score v. the lowest tertile) resulted in higher total serum n-3 FA (P=0·004) and DHA (P=0·008). Mother's diet along with higher serum levels of n-3 FA were related to serum FA levels in 1-month-old infants.



An overall healthy diet and persistent consumption of fish at least once weekly throughout pregnancy or more frequent fish intake three times per week increases n-3 FA in serum phospholipids of both mothers and their infants.
1Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine,Turku University Central Hospital and University of Turku,Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8,PL 52,20521 Turku,Finland.
Ulla
U
Hautero
2Stat-Consulting,Nokia,Finland.
Tuija
T
Poussa
3Institute of Biomedicine and Functional Foods Forum,University of Turku,Turku,Finland.
Kirsi
K
Laitinen
D004032:Diet / Q000379:methods*; D015930:Diet Records; D000072001:Diet, Healthy; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009035:Mothers; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D017747:Seafood / Q000032:analysis*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D010743:Phospholipids; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids

               n-3 Fatty acids; Diet during pregnancy; Dietary intake; Infant; Maternal nutrition; Pregnancy
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