Effects of Sn-2-palmitate-enriched formula feeding on infants' growth, stool characteristics, stool fatty acid soap contents and bone mineral content: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to assess the effects of Sn-2-palmitate-enriched formula feeding on infants' growth, stool characteristics, stool fatty acid (FA) soap contents and bone mineral content (BMC). We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase and Web of Science for randomized controlled trials published up to April 2022. Sixteen studies involving 1,931 infants were included. From each included study, weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each of the above mentioned outcomes were extracted and pooled with a fixed-effects model (I2 ≤ 50%) or a random-effects model (I2 > 50%). Infants fed Sn-2-palmitate-enriched formula exhibited greater weight gains (WMD: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.23, 1.39 g/d; I2 = 0.00%), lower contents of total stool FA soaps (WMD: -3.47; 95% CI: -5.08, -1.86 mg/100 mg; I2 = 0.00%) and higher BMC (WMD: 7.08; 95% CI: 4.05, 10.10; I2 = 0.00%) than infants fed standard formula. However, no difference was observed in these outcomes between infants fed Sn-2-palmitate-enriched formula and those fed human milk. This meta-analysis demonstrated that compared with standard formula feeding, Sn-2-palmitate-enriched formula feeding could effectively promote weight gains, bone mineral accumulation and stool FA soap reduction in infants.

Human Milk Lipid Profiles around the World: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Reported breast milk lipid concentrations may vary with geographical region, postnatal age, and year of sample collection. In this review, we summarized data on the concentrations of total fat, total phospholipids, cholesterol, and fatty acids in human milk worldwide and their variation according to lactation stage, study area, and sample collection year. A systematic literature search was performed using the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Medline databases for English-language papers and Wanfang and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases for Chinese-language papers. A total of 186 studies evaluating the human milk lipid profiles were included. According to random-effects models based on worldwide data, the summarized means (95% CIs) as percentages of total fat were 42.2% (41.1%, 43.3%) for SFAs, 36.6% (35.6%, 37.5%) for MUFAs, and 21.0% (19.3%, 22.7%) for PUFAs. However, the study heterogeneity was high for most types of fatty acids (I2 > 99%). Human milk from Western countries had higher concentrations of MUFAs and 18:1n-9 (ω-9), but lower concentrations of PUFAs, 18:2n-6, 20:4n-6, 18:3n-3, 20:5n-3, 22:6n-3, and total n-6 PUFA compared with those from non-Western countries (P < 0.001-0.011). Significant lactation stage differences were observed for total fat and some individual fatty acids. The concentrations of SFAs and 16:0 were significantly negatively correlated with sampling year (P < 0.001-0.028). In contrast, a significant positive correlation between the concentrations of 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3 and sampling year was observed (P < 0.001-0.035). Our results suggest that the pooling of data on human milk lipid profiles in different studies should be done with caution due to the high between-study heterogeneity. The concentration of lipids, including total fat, cholesterol, and specific fatty acids, differs in human milk according to lactation stage, geographical region, and year of sample collection.

Optimal gestational weight gain in Chinese pregnant women by Chinese-specific BMI categories: a multicentre prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To establish optimal gestational weight gain (GWG) in Chinese pregnant women by Chinese-specific BMI categories and compare the new recommendations with the Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2009 guidelines. DESIGN: Multicentre, prospective cohort study. Unconditional logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the OR, 95 % CI and the predicted probabilities of adverse pregnancy outcomes. The optimal GWG range was defined as the range that did not exceed a 1 % increase from the lowest predicted probability in each pre-pregnancy BMI group. SETTING: From nine cities in mainland China. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 3731 women with singleton pregnancy were recruited from April 2013 to December 2014. RESULTS: The optimal GWG (ranges) by Chinese-specific BMI was 15·0 (12·8-17·1), 14·2 (12·1-16·4) and 12·6 (10·4-14·9) kg for underweight, normal weight and overweight pregnant women, respectively. Inappropriate GWG was associated with several adverse pregnancy outcomes. Compared with women gaining weight within our proposed recommendations, women with excessive GWG had higher risk for macrosomia, large for gestational age and caesarean section, whereas those with inadequate GWG had higher risk for low birth weight, small for gestational age and preterm delivery. The comparison between our proposed recommendations and IOM 2009 guidelines showed that our recommendations were comparable with the IOM 2009 guidelines and could well predict the risk of several adverse pregnancy outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Inappropriate GWG was associated with higher risk of several adverse pregnancy outcomes. Optimal GWG recommendations proposed in the present study could be applied to Chinese pregnant women.

Biomarkers of fatty acids and risk of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

We aimed to quantify and generate comprehensive evidence on the associations of different fatty acids (FAs) with the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). PubMed, MEDLINE, and Embase were searched for prospective cohort studies that examined the association between FA biomarkers and the risk of T2DM published before 18 May 2020. Random-effects meta-analyses of the effects of FA concentration on T2DM were performed. Thirty-three studies involving 95,810 adults (19,904 cases) were included. Divergent associations of different types of FAs with type 2 diabetes were observed. The pooled relative risk (RRs) of T2DM comparing the top versus the bottom tertile of saturated FAs (C14:0, C16:0, C18:0, total saturated FAs), monounsaturated FA (C16:1 n-7), polyunsaturated FA (C20:3 n-6, C22:4 n-6), and Δ-6-desaturase activities ranged from 1.19 to 1.80. Interestingly, unlike previous studies, we found a negative correlation between odd-chain saturated FAs (C15:0, C17:0), trans-FAs (trans-C16:1 n-7), total n-6, Δ-5-desaturase activities and risk of T2DM. The pooled RRs of T2DM comparing the top versus the bottom tertile of these FAs ranged from 0.62 to 0.78. No associations with T2DM were observed for the other FAs. Considerable heterogeneity was observed in our study, and no definitive conclusions can be made until further investigation has been carried out.

The associations of the gut microbiome composition and short-chain fatty acid concentrations with body fat distribution in children.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Previous studies linking the gut microbiome with childhood obesity largely used the body mass index to measure obesity and reached inconsistent findings. Little evidence has linked the gut microbiome to regional body fat deposition. We investigated whether the abundance of specific taxa in the gut microbiota and the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were associated with the content and regional deposition of body fat in children. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 236 children aged 6-9 years. The fat mass contents/percentages in the total body and the android, gynoid, and limb regions were determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and the android-to-gynoid fat mass ratio and fat-to-lean mass ratios were calculated. Fecal samples were subjected to16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, and the fecal SCFA concentrations were quantified via high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: A weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified seven modules of co-expressed operational taxonomic units (OTUs). A total of 57 OTUs from 4 key modules were selected for further analysis. After adjustment of covariates and controlling for the false discovery rate (FDR), a multiple linear regression analysis revealed significant correlations of the abundances of some OTUs with obesity and body fat measures. For instance, the OTUs classified to the species Ruminococcus gnavus and Flavonifractor plautii showed significant negative correlations with the total and regional body fat (ß: -0.250 to -0.180, PFDR: 0.041-0.049), whereas OTUs belonging to the genera Blautia and Romboutsia exhibited positive correlations with body fat measures (ß: 0.184-0.222, PFDR: 0.041-0.049). The fecal concentrations of acetic, propionic, and butyric acids and total SCFAs were significantly positively correlated with various parameters of body fat distribution (ß: 0.160-0.275, PFDR: <0.001-0.042). CONCLUSION: The gut microbiome and SCFAs are significantly associated with obesity and body fat distribution in pediatric population.

Effects of plant oils with different fatty acid composition on cardiovascular risk factors in moderately hypercholesteremic Chinese adults: a randomized, double-blinded, parallel-designed trial.

OBJECTIVES: Plant oil for cooking typically provides 40% to 50% of dietary fat, 65% of linoleic acid, 44% of α-linolenic acid and 41% of oleic acid in the Chinese diet. However, the comparative effects of fatty acids derived from plant oil on cardiovascular risk factors in Chinese are still inconclusive. Hence, the aim of this study is to investigate whether cardiovascular risk factors are altered depending on various types of plant oils such as peanut oil rich in oleic acid, corn oil rich in linoleic acid, and blend oil fortified by α-linolenic acid. DESIGN: A randomized, double-blinded, parallel-designed trial. SETTING: The First and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 251 volunteers with fasting blood total cholesterol between 5.13 and 8.00 mmol L-1 were enrolled. INTERVENTION: Volunteers received peanut oil, corn oil or blend oil to use for cooking for one year. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The erythrocyte membrane fatty acid composition, fasting plasma lipids, glucose and insulin concentrations and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels were measured before, during and after the intervention. The level of α-linolenic acid in erythrocyte membranes was significantly increased in the blend oil group after the intervention (P < 0.001). The level of other fatty acids did not show any statistically significant differences between the three groups. No significant differences were observed in the concentrations of fasting plasma lipids, hsCRP, glucose, and insulin among the three groups using different types of plant oils. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that although ingesting cooking oil with different fatty acid composition for one year could change erythrocyte membrane fatty acid compositions, it did not significantly modify cardiovascular risk factors in moderately hypercholesteremic people.

Composition requirements of follow-up formula for 6-12-month-old infants: recommendations of a Chinese expert group.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The Chinese national standard of formula for 6-12-month-old infants (GB 10767- 2010) requires review and revision because it does not correspond to current scientific knowledge and data. The aim of this paper was to summarize the formula composition recommended for 6-12-month-old infants by a Chinese expert group. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: Formula composition recommendations for 6-12-month-old infants were devised by a Chinese expert group based on a detailed systematic review, which included nutrient intake, nutrient content of Chinese women's breast milk, and the latest adequate intake and tolerable upper intake levels, also referencing the Codex Alimentarius recommendations and those of other countries and considering the practice in products on the market. RESULTS: Compared with current standards, it was recommended that most compositional requirements be modified, including decreasing the maximum energy density from 85 to 75 kcal/100 mL, decreasing the protein content in milk-based formula from 2.9-5.0 g/100 kcal to 1.8-3.5 g/100 kcal, increasing the minimum content of lipids from 2.9 g/100 kcal to 3.5 g/100 kcal, providing the maximum amount of vitamins and minerals (including vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, niacin, folic acid, pantothenic acid, vitamin C, biotin, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and iodine), and changing the content of optional components such as taurine, docosahexaenoic acid, and arachidonic acid. CONCLUSIONS: These nutrient standard modifications based on recent evidence are expected to enhance feeding practices and further guarantee the health of 6-12-month-old infants in China.

Positive relationship between consumption of specific fish type and n-3 PUFA in milk of Hong Kong lactating mothers.

Residents of Hong Kong have undergone a dietary transition from a traditional Chinese diet that is high in seafood to a more Western diet. This may have affected the nutritional composition of breast milk of Hong Kong mothers. The present study aims to investigate the relationship between the dietary pattern and the fatty acid profile of the breast milk of lactating women in Hong Kong. Seventy-three volunteering healthy Hong Kong lactating mothers participated in the study. Their dietary intakes were assessed by using a 3-d dietary record and FFQ. The mean n-3 fatty acid levels were approximately 0·4 % (EPA) and 0·9 % (DHA) of total fatty acids in the breast milk of lactating mothers who had exclusively breastfed their infants aged 2-6 months. Maternal dietary intakes of n-3 fatty acids were positively associated with their levels in the breast milk. The levels of maternal intakes of freshwater and saltwater fish, especially the consumption of salmon, croaker and mandarin, were significantly correlated with the content of DHA in breast milk. The present study is among the very few in the literature to determine the fatty acid profile of breast milk in Hong Kong populations and verify certain dietary factors that influence this profile. High levels of n-3 PUFA, especially DHA, were observed in the breast milk of Hong Kong lactating women. The findings may serve as a dietary reference for lactating mothers to optimise the fatty acid profile of their breast milk.

EPA+DHA, but not ALA, Improved Lipids and Inflammation Status in Hypercholesterolemic Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

SCOPE: To compare the effects of supplementary eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)+docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) versus α-linolenic acid (ALA) on lipid profiles, inflammatory status, and fatty acid composition of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in hypercholesterolemic adults. METHODS AND RESULTS: A randomized, controlled, double-blind trial is conducted to examine the effects of consumption of control oil, 4.2 g/d ALA, 7.2 g/d ALA, 1.8 g/d DHA+EPA, or 3.6 g/d EPA+DHA for 12 weeks on lipid profiles, fatty acid composition of PBMCs and in vitro production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) by PBMCs in 123 subjects with hypercholesteremia. After the intervention, subjects who receive a low and high dose of DHA/EPA experience 11.99% and 15.78% decreases in triglycerides which is significantly different from that of the control group (p < 0.05). The in vitro study indicates that supplementation of high-dose DHA+EPA induces the greatest decrease of IL-6 production by PBMCs relative to other groups (p = 0.046). ALA intervention significantly increases the PBMCs composition of ALA but not EPA/DHA. CONCLUSION: EPA+DHA, but not ALA, improves lipids and inflammation status in hypercholesterolemic adults. Supplementation of ALA does not increase the PBMCs composition of EPA/DHA in middle-aged to elderly Chinese.

The relationship between dietary inflammatory index (DII) and muscle mass and strength in Chinese children aged 6-9 years.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The dietary inflammatory index (DII®) is a measure of the overall inflammatory potential of a person's diet. However, there have been no studies looking at the effect of DII on measures of muscle mass and strength. We aimed to examine the association between DII and skeletal muscle mass and strength in Chinese children. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A total of 466 children aged 6-9 years completed the study. Total body skeletal muscle mass (TSM), appendicular skeletal mass (ASM) and appendicular lean mass (ALM) were determined using Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. TSM/Height², TSM/Weight, ASM/Height² and ASM/Weight were calculated. The residual method was applied to compute ALM index (ALMI) adjusted for height and body fat. Hand grip strength was measured using hand dynamometer. DII scores were calculated from a 79-item food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: Fully adjusted linear regression models showed a statistically significant negative relationship between DII and ASM, ASM/Height², ASM/Weight, ALMI, TSM, TSM/Height², and TSM/Weight (p: 0.019‒0.014). The analysis of covariance indicated that the percentage differences in the extreme quartiles (Q4 vs Q1) of DII for the above-mentioned measures ranged from -1.04% to -4.36% (p-trend: <0.001‒0.013). When boys and girls were analyzed separately, similar findings were observed for boys but not for girls. No significant associations were detected between DII and hand grip strength. CONCLUSIONS: DII score was inversely associated with skeletal muscle mass in boys but not in girls aged 6-9 years old. No significant associations were observed between DII and hand grip strength.

Effects of chocolate-based products intake on blood glucose, insulin and ghrelin levels and on satiety in young people: a cross-over experimental study.

This cross-over experimental study aimed to examine the effects of filled chocolate consumption on blood glucose, insulin and ghrelin levels in 20 volunteers. After a one-week run-in period, study participants consumed two chocolate-based products, the tested biscuit or water for 21 days as a morning snack. After a two-week wash-out period, participants consumed another tested food for another 21 days. Each participant consumed all four test foods within an 18-week period. The participants' blood insulin increased slowly after two chocolate-based products intakes on the first day and satiety levels after eating chocolate-based products and the tested biscuit were the same. Chocolate consumption for three weeks had no adverse effects on blood glucose, insulin or ghrelin levels. In conclusion, compared to eating the tested biscuit, 21-day consumption of the tested chocolate-based products had no adverse effects on the blood glucose, insulin and ghrelin levels. This trial is registered with chictr.org.cn: ChiCTR-IOR-16009525.

Biomarkers of dairy fat intake and risk of cardiovascular disease: A systematic review and meta analysis of prospective studies.

BACKGROUND: Circulating biomarkers of dairy fat provide objective measures of dairy fat intake and facilitate conclusions relevant to populations with different diets and susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases (CVD). OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between circulating pentadecanoic acid (15:0), heptadecanoic acid (17:0) and trans-palmitoleic acid (trans-16:1n-7) and the risk of CVD. METHODS: Pubmed, Medline and Embase were searched for prospective cohort studies of the relationship between biomarkers of dairy fat and CVD risk, which included coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, heart failure and CVD mortality, supplemented by bibliographies of retrieved articles and previous reviews. For each study, relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were extracted and pooled with the random effect model. RESULTS: Thirteen studies involving 7,680 CVD cases were included. The pooled RRs of the risk of CVD for the top third vs. bottom third 15:0, 17:0 and trans-16:1n-7 level were 0.94 (95%CI: 0.77-1.15), 0.82 (95% CI: 0.68-0.99) and 0.82 (95% CI: 0.67-1.02), respectively. Subgroup analysis indicated that there were no associations between the concentration of 15:0 with CHD and stroke, but a negative relationship with heart failure (RR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.55-0.95). Null association was observed between circulating 17:0 and trans-16:1n-7 level and subtypes of CVD except for only one study which reported a negative relationship between 17:0 and heart failure. CONCLUSION: Higher dairy fat exposure is not associated with an increased risk of CVD.

Excessive fruit consumption during the second trimester is associated with increased likelihood of gestational diabetes mellitus: a prospective study.

This study aimed to investigate the association between fruit consumption during the second trimester and the occurrence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). A prospective study with 772 female participants was conducted in China from April 2013 to August 2014. Dietary intake was assessed in face-to-face and telephone interviews using a 3-day food record. GDM was ascertained using a standard 75 g 2 hour oral glucose tolerance test. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) after adjustment for various confounders. Of the 772 participants, 169 were diagnosed with GDM during the period under study. Greater total fruit consumption during the second trimester was associated with a higher likelihood of GDM (highest vs. lowest quartile: adjusted OR4.82, 95% CI 2.38 to 9.76). Fruits with a moderate or high glycaemic index (GI) were positively associated with the occurrence of GDM. Fruit subgroups were also categorised by polyphenol content, and tropical-fruit and citrus-fruit consumption was found to be positively related to the occurrence of GDM. These findings suggest that the excessive consumption of fruit, especially fruit with moderate or high GI values, tropical-fruit and citrus-fruit, increases the likelihood of GDM.

Urinary Sodium and Potassium Excretion and Carotid Atherosclerosis in Chinese Men and Women.

Limited studies have examined the association between sodium (Na) and potassium (K) levels and the risk of atherosclerosis. This study examined whether higher Na and Na/K levels and low K levels were independent risk factors for atherosclerosis. This community-based cross-sectional study included 3290 subjects (1067 men and 2223 women) 40 to 75 years of age in Guangzhou, China, between 2011 and 2013. Urinary excretion of Na and K were measured from the first morning void, and creatinine-adjusted values were used. The intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid common artery and the carotid bifurcation was measured with high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography. Dietary K and Na intake and other covariates were obtained by face-to-face interviews. A significant positive association was seen between urinary Na excretion and carotid atherosclerosis after adjustment for age, sex, and other lifestyle covariates. The odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of the highest (vs. lowest) quartile of urinary Na were 1.32 (1.04-1.66) for carotid plaques, 1.48 (1.18-1.87) for increased common carotid artery IMT, and 1.55 (1.23-1.96) for increased carotid bifurcation IMT (all p-trend < 0.01). A similar positive association was observed between urinary Na/K levels and carotid plaque and increased IMT, and between dietary Na intake and increased bifurcation IMT. Regarding potassium data, we only found a significantly lower presence of carotid plaque (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.57-0.91) for quartile 2 (vs. 1) of urinary K. Our findings suggest that higher levels of urinary excretion Na and Na/K are significantly associated with greater presence of carotid atherosclerosis in Chinese adults.

The effects of different levels of calcium supplementation on the bone mineral status of postpartum lactating Chinese women: a 12-month randomised, double-blinded, controlled trial.

Increasing dietary Ca intake may prevent the excessive mobilisation of bone mineral in nursing mothers. We aimed to investigate whether higher Ca intake could positively modulate the bone mineral changes in Chinese postpartum lactating women. The study was a 12-month randomised, double-blinded, parallel group trial conducted over 12 months. A total of 150 postpartum women were randomly selected to receive either 40 g of milk powder containing 300 mg of Ca and 5 µg of vitamin D (Low-Ca group) or same milk powder additionally fortified with 300 mg of Ca (Mid-Ca group) or 600 mg of Ca (High-Ca group). Bone mineral density (BMD) for the whole body, the lumbar spine, the total left hip and its sub-regions was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. A total of 102 subjects completed the whole trial. The duration of total lactating time was 7·9 (SD 2·8) months on average. The intention-to-treat analysis yielded the following mean percentage changes in BMD for the whole body, the lumbar spine and the total left hip, respectively: -0·93 (SD 1·97), 2·11 (SD 4·90) and -1·60 (SD 2·65)% for the Low-Ca group; -0·56 (SD 1·89), 2·21 (SD 3·77) and -1·43 (SD 2·30)% for the Mid-Ca group; and -0·44 (SD 1·67), 2·32 (SD 4·66) and -0·95 (SD 4·08)% for the High-Ca group. The differences between the groups were not statistically significant (P: 0·5-0·9). The results of the complete case analysis were similar. In sum, we found no significant differences in the bone mineral changes from baseline to 12 months in postpartum lactating women consuming milk powder fortified with different levels of Ca.

Association of magnesium in serum and urine with carotid intima-media thickness and serum lipids in middle-aged and elderly Chinese: a community-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies suggested that magnesium (Mg) might protect against atherosclerosis, but data were scarce in an Asian population. We examined the association of Mg levels in serum and urine with carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and serum lipids in Chinese adults. METHODS: This community-based cross-sectional study recruited 2,837 participants aged 40-75 years in Guangzhou, China. General information, lifestyle factors, serum and urinary concentrations of Mg and cardiometabolic factors were determined. The cIMTs of the common carotid artery (CCA) and the carotid bifurcation (BIF) were measured ultrasonographically. RESULTS: The mean (SD) concentration of serum Mg was 0.85 (0.07) mmol/L and median (IQR) for urinary Mg excretion was 2.29 (1.56-3.51) mmol/L. After adjustment for potential covariates, both serum and the urinary concentrations of Mg were inversely associated with CCA-IMT, but not with BIF-IMT. The regression coefficients (standard errors) were -100 (29) µm (total), -86 (34) µm (women) and -117 (52) µm (men) CCA-IMT per 1 mmol/L of serum Mg, and -41 (8) µm (total), -41 (10) µm (women) and -44 (15) µm (men) CCA-IMT per 1 unit of urinary Mg/creatinine (log mmol/mmol) (all p < 0.05), respectively. Higher serum Mg levels were associated with higher total cholesterol, HDLc, LDLc and triglyceride, but lower non-HDLc/HDLc in total population (all p < 0.05). Similar relationships of urinary Mg with lipoproteins were also found in total population (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Higher levels of serum and urinary Mg are associated with lower CCA-IMTs, and the role of Mg in lipid metabolism needs further investigation.

Association between n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in erythrocytes and metabolic syndrome in Chinese men and women.

PURPOSE: Evidence of an association between n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and metabolic syndrome (MS) is limited and inconsistent. We investigated the association between n-3 PUFAs in erythrocytes and the presence of MS in Chinese adults. METHODS: The levels of α-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in erythrocytes were measured using gas chromatography in 3072 participants (900 men and 2172 women) aged 30-75 years from Guangzhou, China. Cardiometabolic factors were determined, and MS was defined using the updated Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Other covariates were collected via interviewer-administered questionnaires. RESULTS: After adjusting for age and other confounders, higher levels of marine-derived n-3 PUFAs, including EPA, DPA, and DHA, were associated with a lower presence of metabolic syndrome in both men and women. The odds ratios (95 % confidence interval) for MS obtained by comparing extreme quartiles were 0.55 (0.35-0.88) (EPA), 0.54 (0.34-0.87) (DPA), 0.45 (0.27-0.73) (DHA), and 0.52 (0.32-0.84) (total n-3 PUFAs) in men (p trend <0.05 for all results); and 0.74 (0.56-0.99) (EPA), 0.73 (0.55-0.98) (DPA), 0.75 (0.56-1.02) (DHA), and 0.71 (0.53-0.96) (total n-3 PUFAs) in women, respectively. No significant association of ALA with MS was observed (p trend > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Higher levels of total n-3 PUFAs, EPA, DPA, and DHA, but not of ALA, in erythrocyte membranes are associated with a lower presence of metabolic syndrome in Chinese adults.

Current information and Asian perspectives on long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in pregnancy, lactation, and infancy: systematic review and practice recommendations from an early nutrition academy workshop.

The Early Nutrition Academy supported a systematic review of human studies on the roles of pre- and postnatal long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) published from 2008 to 2013 and an expert workshop that reviewed the information and developed recommendations, considering particularly Asian populations. An increased supply of n-3 LC-PUFA during pregnancy reduces the risk of preterm birth before 34 weeks of gestation. Pregnant women should achieve an additional supply ≥200 mg docosahexaenic acid (DHA)/day, usually achieving a total intake ≥300 mg DHA/day. Higher intakes (600-800 mg DHA/day) may provide greater protection against early preterm birth. Some studies indicate beneficial effects of pre- and postnatal DHA supply on child neurodevelopment and allergy risk. Breast-feeding is the best choice for infants. Breast-feeding women should get ≥200 mg DHA/day to achieve a human milk DHA content of ∼0.3% fatty acids. Infant formula for term infants should contain DHA and arachidonic acid (AA) to provide 100 mg DHA/day and 140 mg AA/day. A supply of 100 mg DHA/day should continue during the second half of infancy. We do not provide quantitative advice on AA levels in follow-on formula fed after the introduction of complimentary feeding due to a lack of sufficient data and considerable variation in the AA amounts provided by complimentary foods. Reasonable intakes for very-low-birth weight infants are 18-60 mg/kg/day DHA and 18-45 mg/kg/day AA, while higher intakes (55-60 mg/kg/day DHA, ∼1% fatty acids; 35-45 mg/kg/day AA, ∼0.6-0.75%) appear preferable. Research on the requirements and effects of LC-PUFA during pregnancy, lactation, and early childhood should continue. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Calcium supplementation and bone mineral accretion in Chinese adolescents aged 12-14 years: a 12-month, dose-response, randomised intervention trial.

A 12-month, dose-response, randomised, intervention trial was conducted to determine adequate Ca intake levels for Chinese adolescents by investigating the effect of Ca supplementation on bone mineral accretion. A total of 220 Han adolescents (111 girls and 109 boys) aged 12-14 years were recruited. All subjects were randomly divided into three groups. The bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) of the whole body, lumbar spine (L1-L4), left hip and femoral neck were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Girls in the high-Ca group (actual Ca intake: 1243 (sd 193) mg/d) exhibited greater increases in the femoral neck BMC compared with those in the low-Ca group (9·7 v. 6·4 %, P =0·04) over the 1-year intervention period. The increases in femoral neck BMC were greater in boys in the high-Ca and medium-Ca groups (actual Ca intake: 985 (sd 168) mg/d) than in those in the low-Ca group (15·7 v. 11·7 %, P =0·03; 15·8 v. 11·7 %, P =0·03). Ca supplementation had significant effects on the whole-body BMC and BMD in subjects with physical activity levels>34·86 metabolic equivalents and on the spine BMD and BMC and BMD of most sites in subjects with Tanner stage < 3. Increasing Ca intake levels with Ca supplementation enhanced femoral neck mineral acquisition in Chinese adolescents. Furthermore, high physical activity levels and low Tanner stage appeared to significantly contribute to the effect of Ca supplementation on bone mass. Whether this is a lasting beneficial effect leading to the optimisation of peak bone mass needs to be determined in other long-term prospective studies.