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Development of Visceral and Subcutaneous-Abdominal Adipose Tissue in Breastfed Infants during First Year of Lactation

Zoya Gridneva1, Alethea Rea2, Ching Tat Lai1

  • 1School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.

Nutrients
|September 28, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Maternal body composition and human milk intake influence infant fat development. Healthy maternal weight and continued breastfeeding support healthy infant body composition, potentially reducing obesity risk.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Human Lactation
  • Body Composition Analysis

Background:

  • Infant adiposity is a growing concern, with early life factors influencing long-term health.
  • Human milk (HM) composition and maternal body composition (BC) are key modulators of infant development.
  • Understanding these relationships is crucial for promoting healthy infant growth and preventing childhood obesity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the associations between infant abdominal adiposity (visceral and subcutaneous) and human milk components.
  • To examine the relationships between infant adiposity and maternal body composition during the first year of lactation.
  • To determine the impact of daily intakes of human milk components and maternal adiposity on infant fat development.

Main Methods:

  • Ultrasound assessment of infant subcutaneous-abdominal depth (SAD), subcutaneous-abdominal fat area (SFA), visceral depth (VD), and preperitoneal fat area at 2, 5, 9, and 12 months.
  • Maternal body composition determined using bioimpedance spectroscopy.
  • Measurement of human milk macronutrient and bioactive component concentrations, and calculation of infant 24-hour milk intake and determined daily intakes (CDI).

Main Results:

  • Maternal adiposity showed differential associations with infant SFA over time.
  • Higher 24-hour milk intake was positively linked to infant SAD and VD.
  • CDI of total protein, total carbohydrates, and lactose positively correlated with infant SFA; lactoferrin concentration associated with infant VD.

Conclusions:

  • Human milk components and maternal adiposity exert distinct influences on the development of infant visceral and subcutaneous abdominal adiposity.
  • Maintaining healthy maternal body composition and prolonged breastfeeding are vital for favorable infant body composition development.
  • These factors may contribute to reducing the risk of obesity in children.

Keywords:
abdominal adipositybody compositionhuman milkinfantsintakelactationmacronutrientsobesitysubcutaneous-abdominal fatvisceral fat

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