Omega-3 supplementation in infants reduces waist size : Study

Supplementation with Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUF) in infancy is associated with decreased waist size in both sexes at age of 5 years, revealed a study published in the journal Pediatrics. In addition, it was also associated with reduced insulin concentrations and insulin resistance in boys.

The study was conducted by Valene H.L. See, the Royal Perth Hospital in Australia, and colleagues, to assess the effect of n-3 LCPUFA supplementation in infancy on growth, body composition, and cardiometabolic risk factors at 5 years of age.

For the study, 420 Infants were randomly assigned to a daily supplement of n-3 LCPUFA or olive oil (control) from birth to 6 months. Measurements included weight, length, cord blood adipokines at birth and anthropometry, skinfolds, blood pressure, heart rate, fasting blood adipokines, and biochemistry at 5 years.

Valene H.L. See, Ph.D., from the Royal Perth Hospital in Australia, and colleagues randomly assigned 420 infants to a daily supplement of n-3 LCPUFA or olive oil (control) from birth to 6 months. Growth, body composition, and cardiometabolic risk factors were evaluated at 5 years of age.

Key Findings:

• The infants who received n-3 LCPUFA had a smaller waist circumference at 5 years (coefficient: 1.1 cm; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.01 to 2.14), which remained significant after adjustments for confounders (coefficient: 0.8 cm; 95% CI: 0.19 to 1.30).


• Five-year-old boys who received n-3 LCPUFA supplementation as infants had a 21% reduction in insulin concentrations and a 22% reduction in insulin resistance compared with the control group.


• There were no other differences in growth and cardiometabolic risk factors between the groups for the whole cohort at birth, 2.5, or 5 years.

"Supplementation with n-3 LCPUFA in infancy revealed a reduction in waist circumference at 5 years. Boys in the n-3 LCPUFA group showed reduced insulin concentrations and insulin resistance at 5 years, which may have beneficial outcomes for later health. No effects were seen in girls. Longer-term follow-up of the cohort is warranted to determine whether these differences are maintained into adolescence," concluded the authors.