Here's another one - on the Beech Nut Baby Food website 

<<Over the past decade, controlled clinical trials have shown that infants
receiving docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), either through breast milk or
supplemented formula, experienced positive visual and mental benefits.
Clinical evidence continues to indicate that sufficient DHA before and after
birth is key for the baby's optimal visual and intellectual development. 

What's more, a new clinical study completed at The Retina Foundation of the
Southwest has revealed some particularly noteworthy findings.1 The Retina
Foundation study results supported earlier observational studies that link
DHA with improved visual and mental development. The study also suggested
the value of a new nutritional option - the incremental benefits of
DHA-supplemented solid food. The findings clearly demonstrated a positive
cumulative effect from providing this important nutrient to babies
continuously throughout the first year of life. 

Each study group in this clinical trial had a sample size of 25 babies. Both
groups were solely breast-fed for the first six months of life and
completely weaned between nine and 12 months of age. The control group's
diet was supplemented with jarred baby food containing no DHA. The test
group's diet was supplemented with jarred baby food containing DHA in levels
consistent with those found in breast milk. 

The study results were profound. Breast-fed infants weaned to DHA-enriched
baby foods (the test group) had higher levels of DHA in their red blood
cells and better sweep visual acuity (a measure of maturation of the retina
and visual cortex) at 12 months of age. These babies performed 1.5 times
better on visual acuity tests than babies whose sole source of DHA was
breast milk.

"DHA is an important nutrient throughout life. But it's especially vital
during early childhood when the mind and body are still developing," notes
Christine Wood, MD, pediatrician and author of How to Get Kids to Eat Great
and Love It! "This study has shown that DHA is important for a child's
developing vision throughout the first year of life." This study also
clearly suggests the value of DHA supplementation for the entire first year
of life, including continuing supplementation as the baby transitions to
solid food. 


 Maturation of Visual Acuity in Breast-Fed Term Infants Weaned to Baby Food
Containing DHA-Enriched Egg Yolk, Hoffman DR, et al., Retina Foundation of
the Southwest, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas,
Texas.>>

A few notes, the Retina Foundation has "PHARMACEUTICAL HOLDINGS" of $308K
out of 6,078K total endowment funds. Their sponsors include Mead Johnson
Nutritionals.

Sam Doak

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