Effects of maternal omega-3 fatty acids supplementation during pregnancy/lactation on body composition of the offspring: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The effect of maternal omega-3 fatty acids intake on the body composition of the offspring is unclear. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to confirm the effects of omega-3 fatty acids supplementation during pregnancy and/or lactation on body weight, body length, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, fat mass and sum of skinfold thicknesses of offspring. Human intervention studies were selected by a systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library and references of related reviews and studies. Randomized controlled trials of maternal omega-3 fatty acids intake during pregnancy or lactation for offspring's growth were included. The data were analyzed with RevMan 5.3 and Stata 12.0. Effect sizes were presented as weighted mean differences (WMD) or standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Twenty-six studies comprising 10,970 participants were included. Significant increases were found in birth weight (WMD = 42.55 g, 95% CI: 21.25, 63.85) and waist circumference (WMD = 0.35 cm, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.67) in the omega-3 fatty acids group. There were no effects on birth length (WMD = 0.09 cm, 95% CI: -0.03, 0.21), postnatal length (WMD = 0.13 cm, 95% CI: -0.11, 0.36), postnatal weight (WMD = 0.04 kg, 95% CI: -0.07, 0.14), BMI (WMD = 0.09, 95% CI: -0.05, 0.23), the sum of skinfold thicknesses (WMD = 0.45 mm, 95% CI: -0.30, 1.20), fat mass (WMD = 0.05 kg, 95% CI: -0.01, 0.11) and the percentage of body fat (WMD = 0.04%, 95% CI: -0.38, 0.46). This meta-analysis showed that maternal omega-3 fatty acids supplementation can increase offspring's birth weight and postnatal waist circumference. However, it did not appear to influence children's birth length, postnatal weight/length, BMI, sum of skinfold thicknesses, fat mass and the percentage of body fat during postnatal period. Larger, well-designed studies are recommended to confirm this conclusion.

Li GL ，Chen HJ ，Zhang WX ，Tong Q ，Yan YE ... -  《-》

Effect of dietary intervention to reduce the n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio on maternal and fetal fatty acid profile and its relation to offspring growth and body composition at 1 year of age.

Much D ，Brunner S ，Vollhardt C ，Schmid D ，Sedlmeier EM ，Brüderl M ，Heimberg E ，Bartke N ，Boehm G ，Bader BL ，Amann-Gassner U ，Hauner H ... -  《-》

Effect of maternal n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation during pregnancy and/or lactation on adiposity in childhood: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Stratakis N ，Gielen M ，Chatzi L ，Zeegers MP ... -  《-》

Reduction of the n-6:n-3 long-chain PUFA ratio during pregnancy and lactation on offspring body composition: follow-up results from a randomized controlled trial up to 5 y of age.

It has been hypothesized that the n-6:n-3 (ω-6:ω-3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) ratio in the maternal diet during the prenatal and early postnatal phase positively affects the body composition of the offspring. However, only limited data from prospective human intervention studies with long-term follow-up are available. We assessed the long-term effects of a reduced n-6:n-3 LCPUFA ratio in the diets of pregnant and lactating women [1020 mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) plus 180 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)/d together with an arachidonic acid-balanced diet compared with a control diet] on the body weights and compositions of their offspring from 2 to 5 y of age with a focus on the 5-y results. Participants in the randomized controlled trial received follow-up assessments with annual body-composition measurements including skinfold thickness (SFT) measurements (primary outcome), a sonographic assessment of abdominal subcutaneous and preperitoneal fat, and child growth. In addition, abdominal MRI was performed in a subgroup of 5-y-old children. For the statistical analysis, mixed models for repeated measures (MMRMs) were fit with the use of data from each visit since birth (except for MRI). Maternal LCPUFA supplementation did not significantly influence the children's sum of 4 SFTs [means ± SDs at 5 y of age: intervention, 23.9 ± 4.7 mm (n = 57); control, 24.5 ± 5.0 mm (n = 55); adjusted mean difference, -0.5 (95% CI: -2.2, 1.2)], growth, or ultrasonography measures at any time point in the adjusted MMRM model (all P values < 0.05). Results were consistent with abdominal MRI measurements (n = 44) at 5 y of age, which showed no significant differences in subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue volumes and ratios. The current study provides no evidence that a dietary reduction of the n-6:n-3 LCPUFA ratio in the maternal diet during pregnancy and lactation is a useful early preventive strategy against obesity at preschool age. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00362089.

Brei C ，Stecher L ，Much D ，Karla MT ，Amann-Gassner U ，Shen J ，Ganter C ，Karampinos DC ，Brunner S ，Hauner H ... -  《-》

The effectiveness of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid interventions during pregnancy on obesity measures in the offspring: an up-to-date systematic review and meta-analysis.

Vahdaninia M ，Mackenzie H ，Dean T ，Helps S ... -  《-》