Supplementation With Fish Oil in Pregnancy Reduces Gastroenteritis in Early Childhood
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Background We hypothesized that insufficient intake of fish oil-derived omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFAs) during pregnancy is a contributing factor to gastroenteritis in early childhood. We examined the effect of n-3 LCPUFA supplementation on gastroenteritis symptoms in the offspring's first 3 years of life. Methods This was a double-blinded, randomized controlled trial whereby 736 mothers were administered n-3 LCPUFA or control from pregnancy week 24 until 1 week after birth. We measured the number of days with gastroenteritis, number of episodes with gastroenteritis, and the risk of having a gastroenteritis episode in the first 3 years of life. Results A median reduction of 2.5 days with gastroenteritis (P = .018) was shown, corresponding to a 14% reduction in the n-3 LCPUFA group compared with controls in the first 3 years of life (P = .037). A reduction in the number of gastroenteritis episodes (P = .027) and a reduced risk of having an episode (hazard ratio, 0.80 [95% confidence interval, .66-.97]; P = .023) were also shown. Conclusions Fish oil supplementation from the 24th week of pregnancy led to a reduction in the number of days and episodes with gastroenteritis symptoms in the first 3 years of life. The findings suggest n-3 LCPUFA supplementation as a preventive measure against gastrointestinal infections in early childhood.
Supplementation with fish oil from the 24th week of pregnancy in a cohort of 736 mothers and their children resulted in fewer gastroenteritis days and episodes in the children's first 3 years of life.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Journal of Infectious Diseases |
Volume | 227 |
Issue number | 3 |
Pages (from-to) | 448–456 |
Number of pages | 9 |
ISSN | 0022-1899 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2023 |
- fish oil, gastroenteritis, pediatrics, pregnancy supplementation
Research areas
ID: 300068293