Boersma E R
Br Med J. 1979 Mar 31;1(6167):850-3. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.6167.850.
Changes in the fatty-acid composition of human adipose tissue before birth and during infancy and childhood were studied in Tanzania and compared with data for British and Dutch infants in relation to their diet. From the 32nd to the 37th week of gestation in Tanzania the proportion in the body fat of the unsaturated fatty acid linoleic acid tended to rise, suggesting an adequate supply of this essential fatty acid from the mother to the fetus. At term 2.5% of the total fatty acids of the body fat was linoleic acid, which corresponded with values in Dutch newborn infants but was significantly higher than those in British infants. During infancy in Tanzania the composition of the fat showed a dramatic increase in the proportions of the saturated fatty acids lauric acid and myristic acid, which did not occur in Dutch and British infants. The proportion of linoleic acid increased to 8%. These changes were a reflection of the fatty-acid composition of the fat in the human milk that the infants received. During weaning (1-2 years of age) the fatty-acid composition changed only slightly. The specific fatty-acid composition of the fat in Tanzanian breast milk may have a beneficial influence on the extent of intestinal absorption in the newborn child.
在坦桑尼亚，对人类出生前以及婴儿期和儿童期脂肪组织中脂肪酸组成的变化进行了研究，并与英国和荷兰婴儿的相关饮食数据进行了比较。在坦桑尼亚，从妊娠第32周到第37周，不饱和脂肪酸亚油酸在体脂中的比例趋于上升，这表明母亲向胎儿充分供应了这种必需脂肪酸。足月时，体脂中总脂肪酸的2.5%是亚油酸，这与荷兰新生儿的值相当，但明显高于英国婴儿。在坦桑尼亚婴儿期，脂肪组成显示饱和脂肪酸月桂酸和肉豆蔻酸的比例急剧增加，而荷兰和英国婴儿没有出现这种情况。亚油酸的比例增加到8%。这些变化反映了婴儿所摄入母乳中脂肪的脂肪酸组成。在断奶期（1至2岁），脂肪酸组成变化很小。坦桑尼亚母乳中脂肪的特定脂肪酸组成可能对新生儿肠道吸收程度有有益影响。
