The Importance Of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) For Child Development

Abstract

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LMPIC), such as those of the n-3 family, represented by eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have relevant physiological and biochemical functions in human metabolism and health. DHA, specifically, is a key nutrient for childhood growth and development because of its primary role in the formation and functioning of the central nervous system and retina in humans. DHA is present in important quantities almost exclusively in foods such as seafood (fish, shellfish, micro and macroalgae) and also, in smaller quantities, in meat, milk, and eggs. It is known that the ingestion of aquatic foods during the Middle to Upper Paleolithic period was a watershed in human evolution. In addition to the evolutionary importance of DHA for our species, recent research has established that n-3 PUICLPs are of immense importance in both pregnancy and early childhood, where DHA plays an important role in the development and function of the brain and eyes of infants and children. Deficiency of PUICLs (n-6 and n-3) correlates with impaired cognitive and behavioral performance in children. Thus, nutrition with DHA during pregnancy and lactation represents a critical stage for the child's brain and eye development, and a balanced and varied diet is of utmost importance for the nursing mother, for transmission to the infant through exclusive breastfeeding, or in infant feeding since the introduction of complementary foods. In case these are not the case, supplementation may be necessary, due to the importance of this micronutrient

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56238/colleinternhealthscienv1-118