Research from JAMA — Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Preterm Infants Fed High-Dose Docosahexaenoic Acid — A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Maternal fish consumption during pregnancy has been positively associated with cognitive and visual abilities in the offspring, leading to the hypothesis that maternal omega-3 (n−3) long-chain PUFA (LCPUFA) supplementation improves children's neurologic and visual development.

Background: We systematically reviewed the effects of community gardens on physical and psychosocial health, health behaviors and community outcomes. Methods: Quantitative studies that examined associations of health, psychosocial or community outcomes with community gardens were included in the review. Studies up to December 2020 were captured from searches of Medline, Web of Science, PsycInfo, EBSCOHost and CAB Abstracts. Data were extracted and study quality including risk of bias was examined. Results: There were 53 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Studies examining associations between community gardens and nutrition or food security were most frequently reported (k = 23). Other factors examined for associations with community gardens were health (k = 16), psychosocial (k = 16) and community outcomes (k = 7). Effects appeared positive for fruit and vegetable intake, some psychosocial and community outcomes, but mixed for physical health outcomes. Evidence quality overall was low. Conclusions: Community gardening was associated with higher fruit and vegetable intake, positive psychosocial and community outcomes, but poor evidence quality suggests the effects of community gardening may be overestimated.

Background: Preterm infants have improved visual outcomes when fed a formula containing 0.2–0.4% docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) compared with infants fed no DHA, but the optimal DHA dose is unknown. Objective: We assessed visual responses of preterm infants fed human milk (HM) and formula with a DHA concentration estimated to match the intrauterine accretion rate (high-DHA group) compared with infants fed HM and formula containing DHA at current concentrations. Design: A double-blind randomized controlled trial studied preterm infants born at <33 wk gestation and fed HM or formula containing 1% DHA (high-DHA group) or ≈0.3% DHA (current practice; control group) until reaching their estimated due date (EDD). Both groups received the same concentration of arachidonic acid. Sweep visual evoked potential (VEP) acuity and latency were assessed at 2 and 4 mo corrected age (CA). Weight, length, and head circumference were assessed at EDD and at 2 and 4 mo CA. Results: At 2 mo CA, acuity of the high-DHA group did not differ from the control group [high-DHA group (x̄ ± SD): 5.6 ± 2.4 cycles per degree (cpd), n = 54; control group: 5.6 ± 2.4 cpd, n = 61; P = 0.96]. By 4 mo CA, the high-DHA group exhibited an acuity that was 1.4 cpd higher than the control group (high-DHA: 9.6 ± 3.7 cpd, n = 44; control: 8.2 ± 1.8 cpd; n = 51; P = 0.025). VEP latencies and anthropometric measurements were not different between the high-DHA and control groups. Conclusion: The DHA requirement of preterm infants may be higher than currently provided by preterm formula or HM of Australian women.