The Impact of Early Nutrition on Incidence of Allergic Manifestations and Common Respiratory Illnesses in Children

• Published in: The Journal of pediatrics 2010-06, Vol.156 (6), p.902-906.e1
• Main Authors: Birch, Eileen E., PhD, Khoury, Jane C., PhD, Berseth, Carol Lynn, MD, Castañeda, Yolanda S., BSN, Couch, Jill M., RN, Bean, Judy, PhD, Tamer, Robert, MPH, Harris, Cheryl L., MS, Mitmesser, Susan Hazels, PhD, Scalabrin, Deolinda M., MD, PhD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age of Onset; Arachidonic Acids - administration & dosage; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Dietary Supplements; Docosahexaenoic Acids - administration & dosage; Female; General aspects; Humans; Hypersensitivity - epidemiology; Hypersensitivity - prevention & control; Infant; Infant Formula; Infant, Newborn; Male; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Miscellaneous; Nutritional Status; Pediatrics; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Respiratory Tract Diseases - epidemiology; Respiratory Tract Diseases - prevention & control
• ISSN: 0022-3476; 1097-6833
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2010.01.002

Objective To investigate the incidence of allergic and respiratory diseases through age 3 years in children fed docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)- and arachidonic acid (ARA)-supplemented formula during infancy. Study design Children who completed randomized, double-blind studies of DHA/ARA-supplemented (0.32%-0.36%/0.64%-0.72% of total fatty acids, respectively) versus nonsupplemented (control) formulas, fed during the first year of life, were eligible. Blinded study nurses reviewed medical charts for upper respiratory infection (URI), wheezing, asthma, bronchiolitis, bronchitis, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, otitis media, sinusitis, atopic dermatitis (AD), and urticaria. Results From the 2 original cohorts, 89/179 children participated; 38/89 were fed DHA/ARA formula. The DHA/ARA group had significantly lower odds for developing URI (odds ratio [OR], 0.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.08-0.58), wheezing/asthma (OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.11-0.97), wheezing/asthma/AD (OR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.09-0.67), or any allergy (OR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.10-0.72). The control group had significantly shorter time to first diagnosis of URI ( P = .006), wheezing/asthma ( P = .03), or any allergy ( P = .006). Conclusions DHA/ARA supplementation was associated with delayed onset and reduced incidence of URIs and common allergic diseases up to 3 years of age.