May 2, 2003

(British Medical Journal) -- Adding long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids to infant formula milk is associated with lower blood pressure later in childhood, and may cut the risk of heart disease in adult life, finds a study in this week's BMJ.

In a 1992 trial, 111 newborn infants were fed with a formula containing long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) and 126 were given a formula without LCPUFAs but otherwise nutritionally similar. A reference group of breastfed children also took part in the study.

Six years later, the children's blood pressure was measured in a follow up study.

Mean blood pressure was significantly lower in the LCPUFA group than in the non-LCPUFA group. The diastolic pressure of the breastfed children was significantly lower than the non-LCPUFA group but did not differ from the LCPUFA formula group.

As blood pressure tends to track from childhood into adult life, early exposure to dietary LCPUFAs, preferably in breast milk, may reduce cardiovascular risk in adulthood, say the authors. These findings are therefore relevant to public health strategies aimed at improving long term health of the population, they conclude.