Prenatal fatty acid status and child adiposity at age 3 y: results from a US pregnancy cohort.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Exposure to polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in early life may influence adiposity development.

Objective

We examined the extent to which prenatal n-3 (omega-3) and n-6 (omega-6) PUFA concentrations were associated with childhood adiposity.

Design

In mother-child pairs in the Project Viva cohort, we assessed midpregnancy fatty acid intakes (n = 1120), maternal plasma PUFA concentrations (n = 227), and umbilical cord plasma PUFA concentrations (n = 302). We performed multivariable regression analyses to examine independent associations of n-3 PUFAs, including docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acids (DHA + EPA), n-6 PUFAs, and the ratio of n-6:n-3 PUFAs, with child adiposity at age 3 y measured by the sum of subscapular and triceps skinfold thicknesses

SUBMITTER: Donahue SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3057547 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature