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The Fatty Acid Species and Quantity Consumed by the Breastfed Infant Are Important for Growth and Development

Alexandra D George1,2, Melvin C L Gay1, Mary E Wlodek1,3

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

Nutrients
|November 27, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Human milk fatty acids (FAs) are vital for infant development. This study found specific FAs, like C15:0 and C18:2, are crucial for infant growth, highlighting the importance of FA intake analysis.

Area of Science:

  • Human milk composition
  • Infant nutrition
  • Lipidomics

Background:

  • Fatty acids (FAs) in human milk (HM) are essential for infant health.
  • Previous characterization of HM FAs has not comprehensively considered infant intake.
  • Understanding FA intake is crucial for infant development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the fatty acid profile of human milk.
  • To investigate the associations between HM FA composition, maternal characteristics, and infant growth.
  • To determine the relationship between infant FA intake and developmental outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal collection of human milk samples from 18 mother-infant dyads over six months.
  • Analysis of FA profiles using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
  • Statistical analysis including linear regression and Pearson's correlation to assess relationships.

Main Results:

  • Significant variation in HM FA composition was observed between dyads and throughout lactation.
  • Infant intake of specific FAs (C15:0, C18:1, C18:2, C20:3) positively correlated with infant growth (p < 0.001).
  • No significant relationships were found between C22:5, C20:5 intake and infant head circumference.

Conclusions:

  • Infant total lipid and specific FA intake are essential for growth and development.
  • This study identified novel relationships between certain FAs (e.g., C15:0, C18:2) and infant outcomes.
  • Future human milk studies should incorporate infant intake data for a comprehensive understanding.

Keywords:
breastfeedinginfant nutritionlipidomics

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