Long-chain Fatty Acids and Infant Nutrition

摘要

The importance of long chain fatty acids which include arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) comes from evidence that there is rapid accretion of these fatty acids in the brain during in utero and postnal development. Furthermore, there are high levels of DHA incorporated into the retina. Therefore, significant research has focused on the potential benefits of ARA and DHA on cognitive, visual, motor skills and language development. There is also growing evidence that gestational exposure to specific dietary factors results in fetal programming which modifies chronic disease risk in adulthood. Very little is known about the long-term effects of ARA and DHA exposure during in utero development and infancy. However, there is emerging evidence that these fatty acids may modulate mammary gland development and breast cancer risk. This presentation will highlight our current understanding of the biological role of long chain fatty acids during early life as well as new emerging areas of research interest.