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Blood fatty acid composition in relation to allergy in children aged 2-9 years: results from the European IDEFICS

A Mikkelsen1,2, C Galli3, G Eiben1

  • 1Section for Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|September 22, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Higher intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is linked to increased allergy risk in children, particularly younger ones. Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) showed a protective effect against allergies.

Area of Science:

  • Nutritional Immunology
  • Pediatric Allergy Research
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Blood polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) play a role in allergy development, but the specific impact of n-6 and n-3 PUFA remains debated.
  • The IDEFICS study, a European multicenter initiative, offers insights into the relationship between fatty acids (FA) and allergy in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the cross-sectional association between blood fatty acid profiles and allergy status in a large cohort of European children.
  • To explore the differential roles of n-6 PUFA, n-3 PUFA, and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) in childhood allergy development.

Main Methods:

  • Blood FA levels were quantified in 2600 children aged 2-9 years.
  • Logistic regression analysis was employed to assess allergy status against FA components, adjusting for multiple covariates.
  • Results were reported as odds ratios (OR) per standard deviation increase in FA.

Main Results:

  • Elevated proportions of n-6 PUFA were associated with increased odds of allergy (OR=1.21).
  • Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) demonstrated a protective association, reducing allergy risk (OR=0.75).
  • Stronger associations were noted in younger children (<4 years), with n-3 PUFA showing increased allergy odds (OR=1.62) and MUFA reduced odds (OR=0.63). Docosapentaenoic acid and oleic acid were individually significant.

Conclusions:

  • Both n-6 and n-3 PUFA subtypes showed a positive association with allergy in an age-dependent manner.
  • MUFA consistently correlated with a lower risk of allergy.
  • The findings suggest that high n-3 PUFA levels in young children may be relevant to the early onset of atopic diseases.
Abstract

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