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Human Nutrition and Metabolism

Directly Quantitated Dietary (n-3) Fatty Acid Intakes of Pregnant Canadian Women Are Lower than Current Dietary Recommendations¹

Department of Human Biology & Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada and ^* Laboratory of Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD

³To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: bholub{at}uoguelph.ca.

During pregnancy, (n-3) PUFA are incorporated into fetal brain and retinal lipids. Docosahexaenoic acid [DHA, 22:6(n-3)], in particular, is required physiologically for optimal development and function of the central nervous system. Maternal intake of (n-3) PUFA must be sufficient to maintain maternal tissues stores and meet fetal accruement. Recommendations for pregnant women include an Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR) of 0.6–1.2% of energy for (n-3) PUFA intake in the current Dietary Reference Intakes, and 300 mg/d of DHA suggested by the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids working group. The present study directly quantitated the (n-3) PUFA intake, including DHA, of pregnant, Canadian women (n = 20) in their 2nd and 3rd trimester. Fatty acid intakes were quantitated in triplicate by lipid extraction and GLC of 3-d duplicate food collections calibrated with an internal standard before homogenization. Total fat intakes were also estimated using dietary analysis software from simultaneous 3-d food records to corroborate biochemical analyses. The mean (n-3) PUFA intake was 0.57 ± 0.06% of energy, with 65% of the women below the AMDR. The mean DHA intake was 82 ± 33 mg/d, with 90% of the women consuming <300 mg/d. Nutritional education of pregnant women to ensure adequate intakes of (n-3) PUFA for optimal health of mother and child and the inclusion of DHA in prenatal vitamins may be pertinent.

KEY WORDS: • (n-3) fatty acids • dietary intakes • pregnant women • direct quantitation • docosahexaenoic acid

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