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June 2003 • Volume 142 • Number 6

 

 

Original Articles
Visual function in breast-fed term infants weaned to formula with or without long-chain polyunsaturates at 4 to 6 months: A randomized clinical trial

Objective Breast-fed infants receive docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) in their diet. Upon weaning, infants lose this dietary source of long-chain polyunsaturates because many commercial formulas do not contain these important constituents for neural membrane biogenesis. We evaluated the benefits of postweaning dietary supplementation of DHA + ARA on visual maturation.
Study design Healthy term infants (n = 61) were breast-fed to 4 to 6 months, then were randomly assigned to commercial formula or formula supplemented with DHA (0.36%) + ARA (0.72%). Measurements of red blood cell (RBC) fatty acids, visually evoked potential (VEP) acuity, and stereoacuity were done before and after weaning.
Results At 1 year of age, RBC-DHA in the commercial formula-fed group was reduced by 50% from the weaning level, whereas there was a 24% increase in the DHA + ARA-supplemented group. The primary outcome measure, VEP acuity, was significantly more mature in supplemented infants at 1 year of age. Elevated RBC-DHA levels were associated with more mature VEP acuity. There were no significant diet-related differences in stereoacuity.
Conclusions These data extend through the first year of life the critical period in which a dietary supply of DHA and ARA can contribute in optimizing visual development in term infants. (J Pediatr 2003;142:669-77)

 

• From the Retina Foundation of the Southwest and the Departments of Pediatrics and Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; and INTA, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
• Supported by NIH grant HD22380. Infant formulas were generously provided by Mead Johnson Nutritionals (Evansville, Indiana).
• Submitted for publication Dec 26, 2002;
   
• revisions received Sept 27, 2002, and Jan 17, 2003;
   
• accepted Feb 27, 2003.
   
• Reprint requests: Dennis R. Hoffman, PhD, Retina Foundation of the Southwest, 9900 North Central Expressway, Ste 400, Dallas, TX 75231. E-mail: dhoffman@retinafoundation.org.
   
• Copyright © 2003, Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.
   
• 0022-3476/2003/$30.00 + 0
   
• doi:10.1067/mpd.2003.213