TY - JOUR

T1 - Intake of n-3 LCPUFA and trans-fatty acids is unrelated to development in body mass index and body fat among children

AU - Ren, Xuan

AU - Larsen, Sofus Christian

AU - Lauritzen, Lotte

AU - Rohde, Jeanett Friis

AU - Andersen, Lars Bo

AU - Bugge, Anna

AU - Jensen, Britt Wang

AU - Specht, Ina Olmer

AU - Heitmann, Berit Lilienthal

N1 - © 2021. The Author(s).

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Background: The number of children and adolescents with obesity has increased worldwide. Some studies have found an increase in the intake of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) to be beneficial for weight and obesity status. The objectives of this study were to examine if intake of trans-fatty acids (TFA) and n-3 LCPUFA at school start was associated with weight and body fat development in the following 3 and 7 years, and if substituting other fats for n-3 LCPUFA in regression models influenced weight and body fat development.Methods: A total of 285 children (boys:130, girls:155) were included in this study. Weight, height and skinfold thickness (SF) of children were measured at age 6, 9 and 13 years by trained research personnel. Multivariate linear regression models were used to investigate the associations between n-3 LCPUFA or TFA intake and subsequent changes in body mass index (BMI) or SF. To investigate substitution effects, we constructed regression models including information on n-3 LCPUFA and all other energy given components of the diet, except for the nutrient to be substituted (all other fats and specific subgroups; saturated fatty acids (SFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and other polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)).Results: No significant associations were observed between intake of TFA or n-3 LCPUFA and changes in BMI and SF. Also, results from regression analysis showed substituting other fats for n-3 LCPUFA did not associate with BMI or SF development.Conclusion: The lack of associations between n-3 LCPUFA and TFA and adiposity suggests that fat composition in the diet does not play a major role in obesity development among school-aged children.

AB - Background: The number of children and adolescents with obesity has increased worldwide. Some studies have found an increase in the intake of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) to be beneficial for weight and obesity status. The objectives of this study were to examine if intake of trans-fatty acids (TFA) and n-3 LCPUFA at school start was associated with weight and body fat development in the following 3 and 7 years, and if substituting other fats for n-3 LCPUFA in regression models influenced weight and body fat development.Methods: A total of 285 children (boys:130, girls:155) were included in this study. Weight, height and skinfold thickness (SF) of children were measured at age 6, 9 and 13 years by trained research personnel. Multivariate linear regression models were used to investigate the associations between n-3 LCPUFA or TFA intake and subsequent changes in body mass index (BMI) or SF. To investigate substitution effects, we constructed regression models including information on n-3 LCPUFA and all other energy given components of the diet, except for the nutrient to be substituted (all other fats and specific subgroups; saturated fatty acids (SFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and other polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)).Results: No significant associations were observed between intake of TFA or n-3 LCPUFA and changes in BMI and SF. Also, results from regression analysis showed substituting other fats for n-3 LCPUFA did not associate with BMI or SF development.Conclusion: The lack of associations between n-3 LCPUFA and TFA and adiposity suggests that fat composition in the diet does not play a major role in obesity development among school-aged children.

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - Fatty acids

KW - Children

KW - BMI

KW - Body fat

KW - Substitution

U2 - 10.1186/s40795-021-00493-5

DO - 10.1186/s40795-021-00493-5

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34980278

VL - 8

JO - B M C Nutrition

JF - B M C Nutrition

SN - 2055-0928

M1 - 1

ER -