Is high oily fish intake achievable and how does it affect nutrient status in 8-9-year-old children? the FiSK Junior trial

Stine Vuholm*, Marie Nygaard Teisen, Nanna Glent Buch, Ken D Stark, Jette Jakobsen, Christian Mølgaard, Lotte Lauritzen, Camilla Trab Damsgaard

*Corresponding author af dette arbejde
7 Citationer (Scopus)

Abstract

Purpose: Most children do not meet dietary guidelines for fish intake. Fish is the main source of EPA (20:5n-3), DHA (22:6n-3) and vitamin D, but may replace better iron sources such as meat. We investigated if intake of 300 g/week oily fish was achievable in children and how it affected their nutrient status. Additionally, we validated a fish food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) by correlations against EPA + DHA in red blood cells (RBC). Methods: In a randomised 12-week trial, 199 children (8–9 years) received oily fish or poultry (control) to be eaten five times/week. We measured dietary intake and analysed fasting RBC EPA + DHA, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), blood haemoglobin and plasma ferritin. Results: 197 (99%) children completed the study. The median (25th–75th percentile) intake was 375 (325–426) and 400 (359–452) g/week oily fish and poultry, respectively. The fish group increased their intake of EPA + DHA by 749 (593–891) mg/day and vitamin D by 3.1 (1.6–3.8) µg/day. Endpoint RBC EPA + DHA was 2.3 (95% CI 1.9; 2.6) fatty acid %-point higher than the poultry group (P < 0.001). The fish group avoided the expected 25(OH)D winter decline (P < 0.001) and had 23%-point less vitamin D insufficiency (winter subgroup, n = 82). Haemoglobin and ferritin decreased slightly in both groups (P < 0.05), but the number of children with low values did not change (P > 0.14). FFQ estimates moderately reflected habitual intake (r = 0.28–0.35) and sufficiently captured intervention-introduced changes in intake (r > 0.65). Conclusion: Oily fish intake of 300 g/week was achievable and improved children’s EPA + DHA and 25(OH)D status, without markedly compromising iron status. These results justify public health initiatives focusing on children’s fish intake.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftEuropean Journal of Nutrition
ISSN1436-6207
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 1 apr. 2020

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  • Det Natur- og Biovidenskabelige Fakultet

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