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n–6 Docosapentaenoic acid is not a predictor of low docosahexaenoic acid status in Canadian preschool children^1,2,3

¹ From the Nutrition Research Program, British Columbia Research Institute for Children's and Women's Health, and the Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Background: The n–3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n–3) is important for neural and visual functional development. In animals, 22:6n–3 deficiency is accompanied by increased docosapentaenoic acid (DPA; 22:5n–6), which suggests that the ratio of 22:6n–3 to 22:5n–6 could be a useful biochemical marker of low n–3 fatty acid status. The n–3 fatty acid status of preschool children has not been described, and data are lacking on whether low 22:6n–3 is accompanied by high 22:5n–6 in humans.

Objective: We determined n–3 fatty acid status and investigated the relation between 22:6n–3 and 22:5n–6 in children.

Design: In Canadian children aged 18–60 mo (n = 84), the n–3 and n–6 fatty acid status of erythrocyte phosphatidylethanolamine was measured, and dietary fat intake was estimated by using a food-frequency questionnaire.

Results: The mean (± SEM) 22:6n–3 concentration in erythrocyte phosphatidylethanolamine among children was 3.06 ± 0.13 g/100 g fatty acids (5th–95th percentiles: 1.43–5.79 g/100 g fatty acids). Concentrations of 22:5n–6 increased with increasing 22:6n–3 concentrations in erythrocyte phosphatidylethanolamine (P < 0.01). Mean intakes of linoleic acid (18:2n–6), linolenic acid (18:3n–3), and trans fatty acids were 3.6 ± 0.2%, 0.7 ± 0.5%, and 2.0 ± 1.3%, respectively. Phosphatidylethanolamine 22:6n–3 and 22:5n–3 concentrations were inversely related to the intakes of 18:2n–6 and trans fatty acids, but not to those of total fat or n–3 fatty acids.

Conclusions: The concentration of 22:5n–6 is not a useful biochemical marker of low n–3 fatty acid intake or status in the membrane phosphatidylethanolamine of preschool children. High intakes of 18:2n–6 and trans fatty acids could compromise the incorporation of 22:6n–3 into membrane phospholipids.

Key Words: Essential fatty acids • docosahexaenoic acid • docosapentaenoic acid • brain development • trans fatty acids • linoleic acid

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