A randomized trial of DHA intake during infancy: School readiness and

A randomized trial of DHA intake during infancy: School readiness and receptive vocabulary at 2-3.5years of age.

Early Hum Dev. 2012 Jul 24;

Authors: Drover JR, Felius J, Hoffman DR, Casta?eda YS, Garfield S, Wheaton DH, Birch EE

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Studies investigating the effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in infant formula on language development yield conflicting results. No study to date has investigated the effects of DHA in infant formula on school readiness. AIM: To determine the effects of different dietary concentrations of DHA provided during the first 12months of life on language development and school readiness. DESIGN: This was a double-masked, randomized, controlled, prospective trial. A total of 182 infants were enrolled at 1-9days of age and assigned randomly to receive infant formula with one of four levels of DHA: control (0% DHA), 0.32% DHA, 0.64% DHA, or 0.96% DHA. All formulas with DHA also contained 0.64% arachidonic acid. One hundred forty-one children completed the 12-month feeding trial and were eligible for this study. Consent was obtained from 131 participants. School readiness was assessed at 2.5years using the Bracken Basic Concept Scale-Revised (BBCS-R) and receptive vocabulary was assessed at 2 and 3.5years using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Third Edition (PPVT-III). RESULTS: There were no diet group differences on any of the BBCS-R subscales. On the PPVT-III, the control group had higher raw scores and standard scores than both the 0.32% and 0.96% groups at 2years of age. These differences were not evident at 3.5years. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary DHA during the first year of life did not enhance school readiness or language development. Children who consumed infant formula with 0.32% and 0.96% DHA showed lower receptive vocabulary scores than controls at 2 but not 3.5years of age.

PMID: 22835597 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: http://www.iqsociety.org/2012/07/29/a-randomized-trial-of-dha-intake-during-infancy-school-readiness-and-receptive-vocabulary-at-2-3-5years-of-age/

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