Visual acuity development and fatty acid composition of erythrocytes in full-term infants fed breast milk, commercial formula, or evaporated milk

The effects of feeding breast milk (BM), commercial formula (F), or evaporated cow milk (EM) formula on visual acuity and erythrocyte phosphatidylethanolamine fatty acid levels were examined in fullterm infants. Visual acuity was assessed at 3, 6 (BM, F, EM), and 18 (BM, EM) months, and erythrocyte phosphatidylethanolamine levels were determined at birth, 3, and 6 months of age. Visual acuity was significantly higher in the BM-fed than in the EM-fed group at 3 months and at 6 months, with intermediate but not significantly different values in the F-fed group at both ages. Docosahexaenoic acid levels were significantly higher in the BM-fed than in the F-fed or EM-fed group at 3 and 6 months of age and were lowest in the F-fed group; this might be related to high levels of linoleic acid in F. F-fed and EM-fed infants had lower arachidonic acid levels than did BM-fed infants at 3 months but not at 6 months.