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Distinct infant feeding type-specific plasma metabolites at age 3 months associate with body composition at 2 years

Inge A L P van Beijsterveldt1, Pernille Neve Myers2, Stuart G Snowden3

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Subdivision of Endocrinology, Erasmus University Medical Center/Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Clinical Nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland)
|May 10, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Infant plasma metabolites at 3 months are linked to body composition at 2 years, particularly in breastfed infants. Early life feeding type influences adiposity programming.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Metabolomics
  • Body Composition Analysis

Background:

  • Early life is a critical period for adiposity programming.
  • Infant metabolic profiles may influence this programming.
  • Understanding infant feeding's role in adiposity is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate associations between plasma metabolites at 3 months and body composition at 2 years.
  • To determine if these associations differ between exclusively breastfed (EBF) and exclusively formula-fed (EFF) infants.
  • To explore the impact of infant feeding on early-life adiposity programming.

Main Methods:

  • Studied 318 healthy term-born infants.
  • Assessed body composition (DXA) and visceral fat (ultrasound) at 2 years.
  • Performed metabolic profiling on 3-month-old infant blood samples.

Main Results:

  • Specific plasma metabolites at 3 months were associated with body composition at 2 years.
  • Lyso-phospholipids were among the identified metabolites.
  • Associations were predominantly observed in EBF infants for fat mass index, fat mass percentage, fat-free mass index, and visceral fat.

Conclusions:

  • Plasma metabolite associations with body composition at 2 years are dependent on infant feeding type.
  • Infant feeding significantly impacts adiposity programming.
  • Findings highlight the importance of early life nutrition for metabolic health.
Abstract

Keywords:
AdiposityBody compositionBreastfeedingMetabolomics

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