Impact of maternal dietary lipids on human health

During the perinatal period, maternal dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) ensure optimal infant development. Observational studies on cognitive and visual development reported that a specific deficit intake in n-3 PUFA in pregnant women was associated with a reduction in visual acuity in 2-months-old infants. Moreover, a low docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content associated with a high level of n-6 PUFA in breast milk was negatively associated with the degree of cognitive development in 6-years-old children. As regards to adipose tissue development, only observational human data agree with the hypothesis that excessive dietary intakes of n-6 PUFA compared with n-3 PUFA could promote the development of adipose tissue and obesity. With regard to immune system development, observational and clinical studies suggest that long-chain n-3 PUFA consumption during pregnancy may prevent the incidence of allergic diseases in children. Lastly, specific association between the maternal ingestion of food groups and the infant health has been studied mainly on allergic outcomes (fish, dairy products). Nutritional recommendations for PUFA intake in pregnant and lactating women were mainly based on brain development data, corresponding to breast milk levels of 10% of total fatty acids for linoleic acid, 1.5% for α-linolenic acid and 0.4% for DHA.