Associations between maternal fish intake and polyunsaturated fatty acid status with childhood asthma in a high fish-eating population.

Background: Studies investigating associations between prenatal polyunsaturated fatty acid status (PUFAs), in particular the anti-inflammatory n-3 PUFAs, and the development of childhood asthma have yielded conflicting results.

Objective: To determine the associations between maternal fish intake (a rich source of the n-3 PUFAs), maternal or cord PUFAs with the prevalence of childhood asthma in a high fish-eating population.

Methods: We examined these associations between fish intake and PUFA concentrations with childhood asthma prevalence in the Seychelles Child Development Study Nutrition Cohort 2, a large observational study in a high fish-eating population. Maternal fish intake during pregnancy and child's fish intake at 7 years were assessed by questionnaire, with frequency reported as meals/week. Serum concentrations of PUFAs were quantified in maternal blood collected at 28 weeks' gestation (n = 1448) and in cord blood (n = 1088). Asthma in children at 7 years was assessed using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire (n = 1098).

Results: A total of 97 children (10.5%) were reported to have asthma. In regression analysis, the odds of childhood asthma were not associated with maternal fish intake or maternal PUFA status. Cord DHA concentrations were associated with increased asthma prevalence when the highest quartile (≥0.123 mg/mL) was compared with the lowest (<0.061 mg/mL).

Conclusion: The results from this current study add to the growing body of evidence that fish consumption during pregnancy is not associated with asthma development in offspring. The associations between cord blood DHA and asthma prevalence are unexpected and warrant further investigation.