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Assessment of linoleic acid, linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid intakes in 4–7 year old healthy children
Author(s) -
Lien Vanessa WingSze,
Clandinin Tom
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.4.a190-b
Subject(s) - docosahexaenoic acid , weaning , linoleic acid , arachidonic acid , polyunsaturated fatty acid , medicine , linolenic acid , fatty acid , zoology , food science , chemistry , biology , biochemistry , enzyme
Retinal and neuronal growth continues throughout childhood, therefore it is conceivable that low intake of AA and DHA may have an impact on development. The objective was to study the diets of children to determine the current intakes of linoleic acid (LA), linolenic acid (ALA), arachidonic acid (AA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Healthy children (n=91), 4–7 years of age, living in central Alberta, Canada agreed to participate in this cross‐sectional study. Parents were instructed to document all food and drink consumed by their child for 3 consecutive days. Seventy‐eight children completed the study. In 64 of 78 subjects LA intake was lower (7.4±3.3 g/day) compared to the adequate intake for LA (10 g/day) for those children 4–8 years of age. In 56 of the 78 subjects, ALA intake was also lower (0.71±0.5 g/day) compared to the adequate intake for ALA (0.9 g/day) for children 4–8 years of age. AA and DHA intakes were 57±35 mg/day and 37±63 mg/day, ranged between 0–350 mg/day and 1.2–180 mg/day and varied day to day at 0–991 mg/d and 0–380 mg/day, respectively. On a body weight basis this intake level is approximately 6.3% and 7.7% of the level of AA and DHA intake at the time of weaning from human milk or infant formula containing long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. It is concluded that Canadian children, 4–7 years of age and not living near a marine environment, have relatively low intakes of AA and DHA. This work was financially supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.