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A Correlation Study of Docosahexaenoic Acid Intake with Its Levels in Breast Milk in Chinese Lactating Women
Author(s) -
Li Hongtian,
Zhang Yali,
Yu Lixia,
Liu Mengjiao,
Bai Manxi,
Liu Jianmeng
Publication year - 2015
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.29.1_supplement.905.2
Subject(s) - docosahexaenoic acid , spearman's rank correlation coefficient , zoology , medicine , correlation coefficient , breast milk , polyunsaturated fatty acid , fatty acid , mathematics , chemistry , biology , statistics , biochemistry
Objectives We aimed to assess the correlation of DHA intake in a recent month assessed by a tailored iPad‐based electronic food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) with breast milk DHA in lactating women residing in coastland (Weihai), lakeland (Yueyang) and inland (Baotou) of China. Methods A total of 406 lactating women (42±7 days postpartum) were recruited equally from the three regions from May to July 2014. The FFQ comprised three parts: seafood, freshwater food, and DHA milk powder and supplements. Trained staff interviewed women to complete FFQ. Results The median DHA intake was 13.8 (IQR: 6.0–34.1) mg/d. The mean absolute DHA concentration was 141.8±106.4 μg/ml; the mean DHA percentage by weight of total fatty acids was 0.36±0.22. The crude and region‐adjusted Spearman correlation coefficient between DHA intake and the DHA concentrations was 0.33 and 0.30 (p values<0.0001). The crude and adjusted Spearman correlation coefficient for DHA percentages was 0.35 and 0.29 (p values<0.0001). The region‐specific Spearman coefficients were given inRegion number of women DHA concentrations DHA percentages Spearman correlation coefficient p value Spearman correlation coefficient p value Weihai 136 0.38 <0.001 0.41 <0.001 Yueyang 135 0.29 <0.01 0.22 <0.05 Baotou 135 0.24 <0.01 0.22 <0.05The crude and adjusted Pearson coefficients of log‐transformed DHA intake with DHA concentrations were 0.34 and 0.31, and with DHA percentages 0.35 and 0.31(all p values <0.0001). The region‐specific Pearson correlation coefficients were given inRegion number of women DHA concentrations DHA percentages Pearson correlation coefficient p value Pearson correlation coefficient p value Weihai 136 0.31 <0.001 0.38 <0.001 Yueyang 135 0.35 <0.001 0.27 <0.01 Baotou 135 0.30 <0.001 0.24 <0.01Conclusion The DHA intake is moderately correlated with breast milk DHA, indicating a possibility for using the FFQ to estimate DHA intake in Chinese lactating women.