ArticlePloS one2016
Whole Blood Levels of the n-6 Essential Fatty Acid Linoleic Acid Are Inversely Associated with Stunting in 2-to-6 Year Old Tanzanian Children: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Article in PloS one, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 29 citations in OpenAlex.
- Factors associated with plasma n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid levels in Tanzanian infants.European journal of clinical nutrition · 2020Trial
- Foods Fortified with Soybean or Palm Oil Show No Effect on Inflammation or Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein in Adults with Overweight or Obesity: a Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial.Current developments in nutrition · 2026Article
- Red Blood Cell Omega-6 Fatty Acids and Biomarkers of Inflammation in the Framingham Offspring Study.Nutrients · 2025Article
- Metabolic profiling reveals altered amino acid and fatty acid metabolism in children with Williams Syndrome.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- New Perspectives on the Associations between Blood Fatty Acids, Growth Parameters, and Cognitive Development in Global Child Populations.Nutrients · 2023Review
- Article
- Whole-blood PUFA and associations with markers of nutritional and health status in acutely malnourished children in Cambodia.Public health nutrition · 2020Article
- Associations of plasma total phospholipid fatty acid patterns with feeding practices, growth, and psychomotor development in 6-month-old South African infants.Maternal & child nutrition · 2019Article
- Article
- Quantification of fatty acid and mineral levels of selected seeds, nuts, and oils in Northern Ghana.Journal of food science and technology · 2018Article
- Association of Whole Blood Fatty Acids and Growth in Southern Ghanaian Children 2⁻6 Years of Age.Nutrients · 2018Article
- Association of whole blood n-6 fatty acids with stunting in 2-to-6-year-old Northern Ghanaian children: A cross-sectional study.PloS one · 2018Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIn Tanzania, 35% of all children below five years of age are stunted. Dietary fatty acids (FA) are critical for growth and development. However, whole blood FA levels in Tanzanian children are poorly described.
objectiveThe objectives of this cross-sectional study were to assess 1) whole blood levels of essential fatty acids and 2) the association between whole blood FA levels and growth parameters in Tanzanian children 2-6 years of age.
methodsA drop of blood was collected on an antioxidant treated card and analyzed for FA composition. Weight and height were measured and z-scores calculated. Relationships between FAs and growth parameters were analyzed by linear regression.
resultsOf the 334 children that participated, 30.3% were stunted. The average whole blood level of Mead acid was 0.15%. The anthropometric z-score height-for-age (HAZ) was inversely associated with Mead acid, the Mead acid to arachidonic acid (T/T) ratio, and total n-9 FA. Additionally, HAZ was positively associated with linoleic acid and total n-6 FA. BMI-for-age was positively associated with oleic acid, total n-9 FA and T/T ratio but inversely associated with arachidonic acid and total n-6 FA. Weight-for-height was inversely associated with arachidonic acid and total n-6 FAs and positively associated with oleic acid and total n-9 FA. Weight-for-age was not associated with any FA tested. Total n-3 FAs were not associated with any growth parameters measured.
conclusionsThe EFA linoleic acid and the markers of FA deficiency were associated with HAZ, an indicator for stunting in 2-6 year old Tanzanian children. Total n-6, total n-9, and a number of individual FAs were associated with growth. Increasing dietary intake of EFA and n-6 FAs may be a strategy to combat stunting in this population.
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