Table 2.
Adjusted associations of maternal plasma PC PUFA levels during pregnancy with the standardized parameters a, b, c and d resulting from the Jenss-Bayley growth modelling of weight, length/height, head circumference and abdominal circumference between birth and 5 years in children from the GUSTO cohort. (n = 979)1
| Fatty acids | Weight | Length/Height | HC | AC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parameter a (model-predicted measure at birth2) | ||||
| 18:2 n-6 (LA) | 0.05 (0.01, 0.09) | 0.10 (0.02, 0.18) | 0.12 (0.03, 0.20) | 0.03 (-0.07, 0.12) |
| 20:4 n-6 (AA) | 0.02 (-0.07, 0.10) | 0.07 (-0.10, 0.25) | -0.04 (-0.22, 0.15) | 0.16 (-0.04, 0.37) |
| Σ n-6 PUFAs | 0.05 (0.01, 0.09) | 0.10 (0.01, 0.18) | 0.08 (-0.01, 0.17) | 0.08 (-0.02, 0.18) |
| Σ n-6 LCPUFAs | -0.02 (-0.08, 0.04) | -0.01 (-0.14, 0.12) | -0.10 (-0.23, 0.04) | 0.13 (-0.02, 0.28) |
| 18:3 n-3 (ALA) | 0.06 (-0.90, 1.01) | -0.75 (-2.73, 1.22) | -0.51 (-2.58, 1.56) | 0.98 (-1.32, 3.27) |
| 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | -0.21 (-0.44, 0.02) | -0.48 (-0.95, -0.01) | -0.09 (-0.59, 0.40) | 0.24 (-0.31, 0.79) |
| 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.08 (-0.02, 0.17) | 0.22 (0.02, 0.42) | 0.09 (-0.11, 0.30) | -0.11 (-0.34, 0.12) |
| Σ n-3 PUFAs | 0.03 (-0.05, 0.10) | 0.09 (-0.06, 0.24) | 0.06 (-0.10, 0.22) | -0.02 (-0.20, 0.15) |
| Σ n-3 LCPUFAs | 0.03 (-0.05, 0.10) | 0.10 (-0.06, 0.25) | 0.06 (-0.10, 0.23) | -0.03 (-0.21, 0.15) |
| Parameter b (growth velocity beyond 2-3 years) | ||||
| 18:2 n-6 (LA) | -0.01 (-0.10, 0.08) | 0.00 (-0.09, 0.09) | 0.00 (-0.09, 0.10) | -0.09 (-0.18, 0.00) |
| 20:4 n-6 (AA) | -0.14 (-0.34, 0.05) | -0.01 (-0.20, 0.19) | -0.10 (-0.31, 0.11) | -0.09 (-0.29, 0.11) |
| Σ n-6 PUFAs | -0.07 (-0.16, 0.02) | 0.00 (-0.10, 0.09) | -0.04 (-0.14, 0.06) | -0.13 (-0.23, -0.04) |
| Σ n-6 LCPUFAs | -0.15 (-0.29, 0.00) | -0.04 (-0.18, 0.11) | -0.11 (-0.27, 0.04) | -0.10 (-0.25, 0.04) |
| 18:3 n-3 (ALA) | 0.23 (-1.95, 2.40) | 1.21 (-0.95, 3.37) | 0.14 (-2.21, 2.50) | -0.63 (-2.86, 1.60) |
| 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | -0.55 (-1.07, -0.03) | -0.21 (-0.72, 0.31) | -0.02 (-0.58, 0.55) | -0.08 (-0.62, 0.45) |
| 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.28 (0.07, 0.50) | 0.27 (0.06, 0.49) | 0.07 (-0.17, 0.30) | 0.35 (0.12, 0.57) |
| Σ n-3 PUFAs | 0.13 (-0.04, 0.29) | 0.15 (-0.02, 0.32) | 0.05 (-0.14, 0.23) | 0.20 (0.03, 0.37) |
| Σ n-3 LCPUFAs | 0.13 (-0.04, 0.30) | 0.15 (-0.02, 0.32) | 0.05 (-0.14, 0.23) | 0.21 (0.03, 0.38) |
| Parameter c (growth spurt before 2-3 years) | ||||
| 18:2 n-6 (LA) | 0.03 (-0.06, 0.12) | -0.03 (-0.13, 0.06) | -0.11 (-0.21, -0.02) | 0.08 (-0.01, 0.17) |
| 20:4 n-6 (AA) | 0.04 (-0.16, 0.23) | 0.01 (-0.19, 0.22) | 0.03 (-0.17, 0.24) | -0.17 (-0.37, 0.02) |
| Σ n-6PUFAs | 0.04 (-0.05, 0.14) | -0.06 (-0.15, 0.04) | -0.10 (-0.20, 0.00) | 0.06 (-0.04, 0.15) |
| Σ n-6 LCPUFAs | 0.03 (-0.11, 0.18) | -0.03 (-0.18, 0.12) | 0.05 (-0.10, 0.20) | -0.09 (-0.23, 0.06) |
| 18:3 n-3 (ALA) | 0.57 (-1.65, 2.80) | -2.07 (-4.33, 0.20) | -0.65 (-2.94, 1.64) | 3.44 (1.24, 5.63) |
| 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.52 (-0.01, 1.05) | 0.40 (-0.14, 0.95) | -0.09 (-0.64, 0.45) | 0.04 (-0.49, 0.56) |
| 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | -0.07 (-0.29, 0.16) | 0.01 (-0.22, 0.24) | -0.12 (-0.35, 0.11) | -0.01 (-0.23, 0.21) |
| Σ n-3 PUFAs | 0.05 (-0.13, 0.22) | 0.05 (-0.12, 0.23) | -0.09 (-0.27, 0.09) | 0.05 (-0.12, 0.22) |
| Σ n-3 LCPUFAs | 0.04 (-0.13, 0.22) | 0.07 (-0.11, 0.25) | -0.09 (-0.27, 0.09) | 0.03 (-0.14, 0.21) |
| Parameter d (deceleration rate before 2-3 years) | ||||
| 18:2 n-6 (LA) | 0.05 (-0.04, 0.14) | 0.06 (-0.03, 0.16) | 0.02 (-0.07, 0.11) | 0.04 (-0.05, 0.13) |
| 20:4 n-6 (AA) | -0.14 (-0.34, 0.06) | -0.02 (-0.22, 0.19) | -0.07 (-0.27, 0.13) | -0.19 (-0.39, 0.01) |
| Σ n-6 PUFAs | 0.00 (-0.10, 0.09) | 0.09 (0.00, 0.19) | 0.02 (-0.08, 0.11) | -0.04 (-0.14, 0.05) |
| Σ n-6 LCPUFAs | -0.14 (-0.29, 0.01) | 0.03 (-0.12, 0.18) | 0.00 (-0.15, 0.14) | -0.21 (-0.35, -0.06) |
| 18:3 n-3 (ALA) | 0.36 (-1.89, 2.62) | 2.43 (0.15, 4.71) | -0.76 (-3.00, 1.48) | -1.08 (-3.34, 1.19) |
| 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | -0.85 (-1.39, -0.31) | -0.16 (-0.71, 0.39) | -0.10 (-0.63, 0.44) | -0.39 (-0.93, 0.15) |
| 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.23 (0.00, 0.45) | -0.07 (-0.30, 0.16) | -0.04 (-0.27, 0.18) | 0.20 (-0.03, 0.43) |
| Σ n-3 PUFAs | 0.03 (-0.14, 0.21) | -0.05 (-0.22, 0.13) | -0.03 (-0.21, 0.14) | 0.07 (-0.11, 0.25) |
| Σ n-3 LCPUFAs | 0.03 (-0.14, 0.21) | -0.06 (-0.24, 0.12) | -0.03 (-0.21, 0.15) | 0.08 (-0.10, 0.26) |
Models were adjusted for study center, ethnicity, child's sex, familial income, maternal education and age, parity, fasting glucose levels, vitamin D levels, gestational weight gain at 26-28 weeks’ gestation, maternal height and pre-pregnancy BMI, paternal height and BMI. AA, arachidonic acid; AC, abdominal circumference; ALA, α-linolenic acid; DHA, docosahexaenoic acid; EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid; HC, head circumference; LA, linoleic acid; PUFAs, polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Except for parameter a for weight which is not interpretable (see Methods), and was replaced by measured birthweight.
β coefficient (95% CI) are expressed in SD unit per 5% change in PUFA level.