Follow-up of infants fed a formula with or without long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids suggests that children given supplemented formula have lower blood pressures that approximate those found in breastfed children, according to an article in the May 3rd issue of the British Medical Journal. The authors suggest that infant dietary changes may have a positive effect on risk for hypertension and cardiovascular disease later in life.
In a 1992 British trial, 126 newborns were randomized to standard formula and 111 were randomized to formula supplemented with long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. A reference group of 88 breastfed children also participated. The current study represents follow-up of children at age 6 years.
Among children fed formula, mean blood pressure and mean diastolic pressure were significantly lower in the group whose formula contained long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. In addition, mean diastolic pressure of breastfed children was significantly lower than that of children who had received standard formula. Interestingly, mean diastolic pressure of the breastfed children was not significantly different from that of the children who had received supplemented formula.

Because blood pressure tends to track from childhood into adult life, the authors concluded that early exposure to dietary long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, whether in breast milk or formula, may reduce cardiovascular risk in adulthood.