Balancing omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF)

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Documents

  • J Thomas Brenna
  • Peter Akomo
  • Paluku Bahwere
  • James A Berkley
  • Philip C Calder
  • Kelsey D Jones
  • Lei Liu
  • Mark Manary
  • Indi Trehan
  • André Briend

Ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTFs) are a key component of a life-saving treatment for young children who present with uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition in resource limited settings. Increasing recognition of the role of balanced dietary omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in neurocognitive and immune development led two independent groups to evaluate RUTFs. Jones et al. (BMC Med 13:93, 2015), in a study in BMC Medicine, and Hsieh et al. (J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2015), in a study in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, reformulated RUTFs with altered PUFA content and looked at the effects on circulating omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) status as a measure of overall omega-3 status. Supplemental oral administration of omega-3 DHA or reduction of RUTF omega-6 linoleic acid using high oleic peanuts improved DHA status, whereas increasing omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid in RUTF did not. The results of these two small studies are consistent with well-established effects in animal studies and highlight the need for basic and operational research to improve fat composition in support of omega-3-specific development in young children as RUTF use expands.Please see related article: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/13/93.

Original languageEnglish
Article number117
JournalB M C Medicine
Volume13
Number of pages4
ISSN1741-7015
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015

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