RATIOS OF LINOLEIC-ACID TO ALPHA-LINOLENIC ACID IN FORMULAS FOR TERM INFANTS

Commercial infant formulas with a ratio of linoleic acid (LA) to alpha -linolenic acid (ALA) of 10:1 or higher are nutritionally inadequate; the tissue levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are lower and the visu al function indices are reduced in infants who are fed these formulas. All the evidence points to using LA:ALA ratios of less than 8:1, but there has been only one study in infants that used formulas with reduc ed LA:ALA ratios, and only biochemical indices were monitored. There i s a need for both short-term studies to establish the ratios of LA to ALA that will make possible the accumulation of DHA to levels close to those in breast-fed infants and long-term trials to determine the eff ects of such fat blends on growth and development.