Based on the well documented levels of DHA and ARA present in breast milk, and the WHO recommendation that breastfeeding should continue for 2 years or beyond, infants who are not breastfed should receive infant formulas and follow-on formulas that are supplemented with both DHA and ARA and in concentrations that are similar to breast milk.
Research suggests that a few nudges to regular eating habits will help synchronize the body’s internal systems. This is called chrono-nutrition. In addition to eating habits, there are several vitamins and nutrients that support overall health when taken at the best time of day to help sync the body’s systems.
In a newly published study, the effects of diet and FADS polymorphisms on the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) status of formula fed and breastfed infants were evaluated (1). Infants in this assessment were participants from the COGNIS study, which was conducted in Spain. FADS polymorphisms had a significant impact on DHA and ARA status in some formula fed infants.
Nutrition experts and health care practitioners at the 20th Journées Interactives de Réalités Pédiatriques (JIRP) in Versailles, France, a leading pediatric conference that reports on research and scientific developments in infant and child health, discussed the importance of dietary fats, including the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA). Learn more.
DHA is vital to ensure a healthy pregnancy by supporting optimal maternal and infant health. The current recommendation is that pregnant women consume at least 500 mg of DHA omega-3 per day. (2) However, only a small proportion of women consume the recommended level. Learn why DHA omega-3 is such an important nutrient during pregnancy.
Keeping pace with the growing population of the planet can be challenging, especially when it comes to feeding the world. To feed everyone a healthy diet, our food production systems need to become more sustainable. A recent report titled “Healthy Diets From Sustainable Food Systems,” published by the EAT-Lancet commission outlines several strategies that we can use to feed the world sustainably.
Are there cost savings in reducing vitamin and mineral deficiencies in high-income countries? This question is explored in the latest NUTRI-FACTS expert opinion by nutrition researcher, Julia Bird, BSc, MPH.
A landmark Cochrane Review was recently published showing the correlation between long-chain omega-3 (DHA and EPA) intake during pregnancy and the baby’s length of gestation. As a “gold standard” of scientific evidence analysis, the authors of the Cochrane Review suggest 500 mg – 1,000 mg of long-chain omega-3s, which includes a minimum of 500 mg of DHA may lower the risk of premature birth, including early preterm birth (ePTB less than 34 weeks of gestation).
Created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization, World Diabetes Day is observed annually on November 14. There are close links between diabetes and heart health. General practitioner, Hilary Jones, shares his tips for a heart healthy diet that supports the health of all adults, and especially those with diabetes.
Internationally-recognized registered dietitian, Lucy Jones, provides her perspective on the fast-growing segment of personalized nutrition.
