Relationship between DHA status at birth and child problem behaviour at 7 years of age

Animal studies have demonstrated behavioural effects of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) deficiencies and in humans, several psychiatric disorders have been linked to abnormal essential fatty acid metabolism. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between LC-PUFA status at birth and the later development of problem behaviour. In a sample of 393 children, higher levels of docosahexacnoic acid (DHA) at birth were associated with lower levels of internalising problem behaviour at age 7 years. The association was markedly present in the infants fed with artificial formula (n = 215, Beta = -0.32, P = 0.000), but absent in the infants fed with human milk (n = 170, Beta = 0.11, P = 0.325). The associations between arachidonic acid and internalising or externalising behaviour were neither large nor significant. The results suggest that perinatal DHA status may have long-term behavioural consequences. Therefore, we suggest to include measures of problem behaviour in future trials of LC-PUFA supplementation of mothers and/or infants. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.