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

doi:10.1007/s00394-019-01981-y

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 for this work

Lifecourse Nutrition & Health

7 Citations (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.

Original language	English
Journal	European Journal of Nutrition
ISSN	1436-6207
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-019-01981-y
Publication status	Published - 1 Apr 2020

Keywords

Faculty of Science
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
Vitamin D
Iron
n-3 Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA)

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1007/s00394-019-01981-y

Cite this

@article{30b363feb9f540dfba753d9b3c47124b,

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

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{\textquoteright}s EPA + DHA and 25(OH)D status, without markedly compromising iron status. These results justify public health initiatives focusing on children{\textquoteright}s fish intake.",

keywords = "Faculty of Science, Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), Vitamin D, Iron, n-3 Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA)",

author = "Stine Vuholm and Teisen, {Marie Nygaard} and Buch, {Nanna Glent} and Stark, {Ken D} and Jette Jakobsen and Christian M{\o}lgaard and Lotte Lauritzen and Damsgaard, {Camilla Trab}",

note = "CURIS 2019 NEXS 160",

year = "2020",

month = apr,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1007/s00394-019-01981-y",

language = "English",

journal = "European Journal of Nutrition",

issn = "1436-6207",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Is high oily fish intake achievable and how does it affect nutrient status in 8-9-year-old children?

T2 - the FiSK Junior trial

AU - Vuholm, Stine

AU - Teisen, Marie Nygaard

AU - Buch, Nanna Glent

AU - Stark, Ken D

AU - Jakobsen, Jette

AU - Mølgaard, Christian

AU - Lauritzen, Lotte

AU - Damsgaard, Camilla Trab

N1 - CURIS 2019 NEXS 160

PY - 2020/4/1

Y1 - 2020/4/1

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

KW - Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)

KW - Vitamin D

KW - Iron

KW - n-3 Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA)

U2 - 10.1007/s00394-019-01981-y

DO - 10.1007/s00394-019-01981-y

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 31073884

SN - 1436-6207

JO - European Journal of Nutrition

JF - European Journal of Nutrition