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Nutrient Requirements and Optimal Nutrition

Direct Diet Quantification Indicates Low Intakes of (n-3) Fatty Acids in Children 4 to 8 Years Old^1,2

Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1G 2W1

Estimates of essential fatty acid intakes, including (n-3) PUFA, are available in pediatric populations based on limited indirect approaches. Furthermore, recommended intakes for short- and long-chain (LC) (n-3) PUFA have emerged for this population. This study provides direct quantification of fatty acid intakes in children aged 4–8 y. Identical portions of all food and natural health products consumed over 3 d were collected. Duplicate samples were analyzed for energy, macronutrients, and fatty acids, including -linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) by high performance capillary GLC. The results for 41 children [25 females, 16 males; 5.8 ± 0.2 y (mean age ± SEM)] showed daily energy intakes of 5879 ± 211 kJ (mean ± SEM) and (n-3) PUFA intakes in mg/d as follows: ALA, 1161 ± 108; EPA, 38.4 ± 9.3; DPA, 26.3 ± 3.9; and DHA, 54.1 ± 11.4. Based on the Dietary Reference Intakes from the Institute of Medicine, 61% of the children met the adequate intake for ALA and 22% met the suggested adequate intake for DHA+EPA (10% of the adequate intake for ALA). These intakes were also compared with the recent Australia/New Zealand recommendations for children, where only 51% met the recommended intake for EPA+DPA+DHA. These results demonstrate a moderate shortfall in ALA intake in Canadian children and a nutrient gap for the LC (n-3) PUFA, including DHA, when comparing intakes for this population to suggested and recommended intakes.

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

Manuscript received 6 October 2008. Initial review completed 10 November 2008. Revision accepted 6 December 2008.

Published online 21 January 2009.

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