Effects of LC-PUFA supply via complementary food on infant development-a food based intervention (RCT) embedded in a total diet concept.

Background: With the introduction of complementary food, long-chain PUFA (LC-PUFA) supply usually decreases during the second 6 months of life. However, the need for LC-PUFA is still high for infant's rapid development. The aim of this randomized, controlled intervention trial was to examine the effects of an increased n-3 (LC-)PUFA supply using alternative complementary foods on infants' visual and cognitive development.

Fatty acid supply with complementary foods and LC-PUFA status in healthy infants: results of a randomised controlled trial.

Purpose: Introduction of complementary food usually leads to decreasing intakes of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA), compared to full breastfeeding. In the randomised controlled PINGU intervention trial, we tested the effects of complementary foods with different contents of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on term infant LC-PUFA status.

Methods: Healthy infants born at term were randomised to receive from the introduction of complementary feeding at the age of 4 to 6 months until age of 10 months ready-made complementary meals either with ALA-rich rapeseed oil (intervention group (IG)-R), with salmon twice weekly to provide preformed DHA (IG-F), or with linoleic acid-rich corn oil (control group, CG).

Fish and rapeseed oil consumption in infants and mothers: dietary habits and determinants in a nationwide sample in Germany.

Purpose: Fish and rapeseed oil are major sources of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) in complementary food, but little is known about current consumption in Germany.

Methods: We conducted a nationwide consumer survey to assess the consumption habits of fish and rapeseed oil and their determining factors in 985 mother-child dyads in Germany.

Results: One-fourth of infants ate fish as often as recommended, i.

Vitamin E content and estimated need in German infant and follow-on formulas with and without long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) enrichment.

Many formulas (FM) for infants are nowadays supplemented with LC-PUFA. Due to the susceptibility of LC-PUFA to peroxidation, a potential risk of oxidative stress must be considered. We analyzed the concentration of unsaturated fatty acids to calculate an estimated vitamin E need and the concentration of vitamin E as an important lipophilic antioxidant in LC-PUFA enriched (FM(+), n = 31) and not enriched (FM(-), n = 29) formulas as well as in breast milk (BM, n = 118).

Food variety in commercial and homemade complementary meals for infants in Germany. Market survey and dietary practice.

Introduction: Already infants do not meet the recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake although the complementary feeding period offers the possibility to expose the infant to a variety of flavours from fruits and vegetables. The objective of the present analysis was to identify differences in the vegetable variety in commercial vs. homemade complementary meals and to describe fish and meat variety in these meals in dietary practice in Germany.

Frequencies and demographic determinants of breastfeeding and DHA supplementation in a nationwide sample of mothers in Germany.

Purpose: German guidelines recommend breast milk as ideal for infant's nutrition, supporting exclusive breastfeeding for at least 4 months. Moreover, in mothers with insufficient fish intake, DHA status may be improved by supplementation during pregnancy and lactation. However, little is known on current rates of breastfeeding and DHA supplementation in Germany.