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Associations between maternal and cord n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid status with the incidence of asthma at 7 years of age in the Seychelles child development study, nutrition cohort 2 (SCDS NC2): preliminary results

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 August 2022

C.O. Henry ,
P.J. Allsopp ,
A.J. Yeates ,
M.S. Mulhern ,
E. Shroff ,
E.V. Wijngaarden ,
J.J. Strain  and
E.M. McSorley
C.O. Henry
Affiliation:
The Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland
P.J. Allsopp
Affiliation:
The Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland
A.J. Yeates
Affiliation:
The Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland
M.S. Mulhern
Affiliation:
The Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland
E. Shroff
Affiliation:
Ministry of Health, Mahé Island, Republic of Seychelles
E.V. Wijngaarden
Affiliation:
The School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, NY, United States
J.J. Strain
Affiliation:
The Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland
E.M. McSorley
Affiliation:
The Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland
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Abstract

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Proceedings of the Nutrition Society , Volume 81 , Issue OCE4: Irish Section Conference 2022, 15–17 June 2022, Impact of nutrition science to human health: past perspectives and future directions , 2022 , E157
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Copyright © The Authors 2022

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting over 300 million people worldwide1. With an aetiology remaining elusiveReference Asher1, and the importance of diet and lifestyle on chronic diseasesReference Kim2, research is focused on understanding the link between immunomodulatory nutrients present in diet with asthma riskReference Kim2. The n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), commonly found in fish, are well known for their anti-inflammatory properties4 and previous observational studies have shown mothers taking n-3 PUFAs supplements during pregnancy had reduced likelihood of their children developing asthmaReference Bisgaard3, Reference Dunstan4. There is limited research studying the habitual intake of n-3 PUFAs during pregnancy and asthma rates; therefore, this present study aims to investigate the associations between n-3 PUFAs consumed as part of the habitual diet during pregnancy with incidence of asthma at 7 years of age in a high fish-eating population. Pregnant women were recruited between 2008–2011 in the high fish-eating population of the Republic of Seychelles. Blood samples were collected from mothers at 28-week gestation and cord samples were collected at delivery. Maternal and cord PUFAs were measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In 2015, when children (N = 1098) were approximately 7 years of age (mean 7.36 years), the parent(s) were asked to complete a questionnaire, validated by the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood Questionnaires (ISAAC) which determined asthma-related outcomes. Logistic regression models investigated the associations between maternal and cord PUFAs with a reported asthma outcome. From the completed questionnaires (N = 1098), 1 in 10 children (63 males; 48 females) were found to be asthmatic. In quartile analysis (lowest quartile vs highest quartile), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA; C18:3n-3) during pregnancy was significantly associated with decreased incidence of asthma in children [OR 2.771 (95% CI 1.464-5.245) p < 0.01]. There were no significant associations between any of the other maternal or cord PUFAs (linoleic acid [LA], arachidonic acid [AA], eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA], docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) and incidence of asthma. Maternal status of alpha-linolenic acid, an n-3 PUFA, during pregnancy may decrease the incidence of asthma. This highlights the importance of intake of n-3 PUFAs during pregnancy and the potential risks associated with chronic disease; however, future analysis is needed to understand the benefits of n-3 PUFAs from fish during pregnancy, as well as eicosanoid production, n-3 PUFAs derived compounds.

References

Asher, MI, et al. (2020) Eur Resp J 56, 2002094.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kim, JH, et al. (2009) Resp Research 10.Google Scholar
Bisgaard, H, et al. (2016) New Eng J of Med 375, 2530–2539.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dunstan, JA, et al. (2003) Clin Exp Allergy 33, 442–448.CrossRefGoogle Scholar