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Breast milk polyunsaturated fatty acids: associations with adolescent allergic disease and lung function
N T Waidyatillake1, R Stoney2, F Thien3
1Allergy and Lung Health Unit, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
Insights
Higher maternal intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in colostrum was linked to increased allergy risks and reduced lung function in children. These findings suggest current strategies to boost maternal omega-3 PUFA may not prevent childhood allergic diseases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
- Nutritional Epidemiology
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Hypothesized benefits of maternal n-3 PUFA for infant immune and lung development.
- Limited data on long-term effects of maternal PUFA on allergic disease and lung function.
- Investigating the impact of breast milk polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on child health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine associations between n-3 and n-6 PUFA levels in colostrum and breast milk.
- To determine the relationship between maternal PUFA levels and allergic disease development up to 18 years.
- To assess the impact of maternal PUFA on lung function in children at 12 and 18 years.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 194 colostrum and 118 breast milk samples from the Melbourne Atopy Cohort Study.
- Utilized multivariable regression to assess associations with allergic diseases and lung function.
- Assessed outcomes including allergic rhinitis, eczema, skin prick tests, FEV1, and FEV1/FVC ratio at ages 12 and 18.
Main Results:
- Higher colostrum n-3 PUFA levels correlated with increased odds of allergic rhinitis and eczema.
- Significant associations found for allergic rhinitis at 12 and 18 years, and eczema at 18 years.
- Elevated colostrum n-3 PUFA linked to reduced sensitization, mean FEV1, and FEV1/FVC ratio at 12 years.
Conclusions:
- Higher colostrum n-3 PUFA associated with increased allergy risks and impaired lung function in children.
- Findings suggest maternal n-3 PUFA supplementation may not be beneficial for preventing childhood allergies.
- Further research is needed to confirm these associations and explore potential confounding factors.
Background:
It has been hypothesized that n-3 PUFA in breast milk may assist immune and lung development. There are very limited data on possible long-term effects on allergic disease and lung function. The aim was to investigate associations of n-3 and n-6 PUFA levels in colostrum and breast milk with allergic disease and lung function at ages 12 and 18 years.
Methods:
Polyunsaturated fatty acids were measured in 194 colostrum samples and in 118 three-month expressed breast milk samples from mothers of children enrolled in the Melbourne Atopy Cohort (MACS) Study, a high-risk birth cohort study. Associations with allergic diseases, skin prick tests and lung function assessed at 12 and 18 years were estimated using multivariable regression.
Results:
Higher levels of n-3 but not n-6 PUFAs in colostrum were associated with a trend towards increased odds of allergic diseases, with strong associations observed for allergic rhinitis at 12 (OR = 5.69[95% CI: 1.83,17.60] per weight%) and 18 years (4.43[1.46,13.39]) and eczema at 18 years (9.89[1.44, 68.49]). Higher levels of colostrum n-3 PUFAs were associated with reduced sensitization (3.37[1.18, 9.6]), mean FEV1 (-166 ml [-332, -1]) and FEV1 /FVC ratio (-4.6%, [-8.1, -1.1]) at 12 years.
Conclusion:
Higher levels of colostrum n-3 PUFAs were associated with increased risks of allergic rhinitis and eczema up to 18 years, and sensitization and reduced lung function at 12 years. As residual confounding may have caused these associations, they should be replicated, but these results could indicate that strategies that increase maternal n-3 PUFA intake may not aid in allergic disease prevention.
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