Relations of trans fatty acids, cis n-6 and n-3 fatty acids in newborn cord plasma, maternal plasma and diet

• Main Author: Elias, Sandra Leanne
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/9308

Trans fatty acids (TFA) are found in partially hydrogenated oils used in margarines, and in processed foods. Concern has been raised that TFA may inhibit desaturation of 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3 to 20:4n-6 and 22:6n-3, respectively, which are necessary for normal growth and development. The effect of diet-derived TFA on human growth, however, is unclear. This study estimated intakes and major sources of dietary TFA in 60 women at 28 and 35 weeks gestation using a food frequency questionnaire. Maternal blood was collected at 35 weeks gestation. Cord blood was collected at birth to assess the relation of maternal diet and plasma TFA on cord TFA, n-6 and n-3 fatty acids. The mean estimated TFA intake was 3.8 and 3.4 g/day at 28 and 35 weeks, respectively (1.3% of total energy). The major dietary source of TFA was baked foods. TFA were present in maternal and cord plasma triglycerides (TG), mean ± S.E., 4.0 ± 0.2 and 2.9 ± 0.2%, phospholipids (PL), 2.4 ± 0.1 and 0.7 ± 0.0%, and cholesteryl esters (CE), 1.6 ± 0.1 and 2.0 ± 0.1% of total fatty acids, respectively. Cord plasma TG TFA was inversely related to 22:6n-3 (r = -0.36) and cord plasma TG and CE TFA were inversely related to 20:4n-6 (r = -0.27). Cord plasma TG and CE TFA were inversely related to length of gestation (r - -0.28 and r = -0.25, respectively), whereas TG 20:4n-6 was positively related to length of gestation (r = 0.5) and infant birthweight (r = 0.4). Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) was inversely related to length of gestation in TG (r = -0.44) and in cord plasma CE to length of gestation (r = -0.52), birthweight (r = -0.35) and infant length (r = -0.35). In summary, this study found a mean TFA intake of <4g/d, with baked foods representing the major food source of dietary TFA. Evidence of an inverse association between cord plasma TFA, length of gestation, and with 20:4n-6 and 22:6n-3 in some lipids, suggests the need for larger prospective studies to determine relations between maternal dietary fat quality and birth outcomes, considering potential confounding dietary and lifestyle variables. === Land and Food Systems, Faculty of === Graduate