title: Whole-blood fatty acids are associated with executive function in Tanzanian children aged 4-6 years: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: Essential fatty acids (EFA) are PUFA that are metabolised to long-chain PUFA and are important for brain development and cognitive function. The objective of this study was to determine the association between whole-blood EFA and cognitive function in Tanzanian children. A total of 325 2-6-year-old children attempted the dimensional change card sort (DCCS) tasks to assess executive function. Blood samples were collected for fatty acid (FA) analysis by GC. Associations between executive function and FA levels were assessed by regression. Among the 130 4-6-year-old children who attempted the DCCS tasks, whole-blood levels of linoleic acid were positively associated with executive function, whereas whole-blood levels of α-linolenic acid and nervonic acid were inversely associated with executive function. A full model including all twenty-five FA explained 38 % of the variation in executive function, whereas a reduced model including only the EFA (α-linolenic acid and linoleic acid), DHA and EPA explained 25 % of the variation in executive function. Children who had sufficient whole-blood levels of EFA were 3·8 times more likely to successfully complete all DCCS tasks compared with children with insufficient EFA. These results suggest that whole-blood FA levels are associated with cognitive abilities. Intervention trials that include assessment of whole-blood FA levels are required to determine the relationships between intake, blood levels and executive function in Tanzanian children.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition,Michigan State University,MI 48824,USA.
authors.forename: Theresia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jumbe
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition,Michigan State University,MI 48824,USA.
authors.forename: Sarah S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Comstock
authors.affiliation: 2Sanford School of Medicine,University of South Dakota and OmegaQuant Analytics,LLC,Sioux Falls,SD 57106,USA.
authors.forename: William S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: 3Sokoine University of Agriculture, Department of Food Technology, Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, Morogoro,Tanzania.
authors.forename: Joyce
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kinabo
authors.affiliation: 4Department of Kinesiology,Michigan State University,MI 48824,USA.
authors.forename: Matthew B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Pontifex
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition,Michigan State University,MI 48824,USA.
authors.forename: Jenifer I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Fenton
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D056344:Executive Function; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000097:blood*; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008959:Models, Neurological; D055495:Neurogenesis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013636:Tanzania; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; C013147:nervonic acid
keywords:  ALA 
                    α-linolenic acid;  BAZ BMI-for-age z-score;  EFA essential fatty acid(s);  EFAD essential fatty acid deficiency/deficient;  FA fatty acid(s);  LA linoleic acid;  LCPUFA long-chain PUFA;  T:T triene:tetraene; Brain development; Cognition; Essential fatty acids; Executive function; Fatty acids; Lipids; Tanzania