Dietary copper intake in artificially fed infants

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Science
• Pediatric Health
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Adequate copper and zinc intake is crucial for infant development.
• Existing World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines recommend minimum copper intakes for infants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess infant copper and zinc status based on maternal levels and formula intake.
• To evaluate infant growth and health in relation to varying copper formula concentrations.
• To compare infant nutrient status with WHO recommended intakes.

Main Methods:

• Measured plasma copper and zinc, and leucocyte zinc in mothers and infants.
• Tracked 145 infants fed breast milk or one of two copper-varying formulas.
• Monitored infant growth and health at 2 months of age.

Main Results:

• No infants met WHO minimum copper intake recommendations.
• No significant differences in infant growth or health were observed across different copper intake groups.
• Infant birth weight correlated with maternal zinc status (plasma:leucocyte ratio).
• Maternal and umbilical cord plasma copper and zinc levels at birth were correlated.
• Higher copper formula intake led to low mean plasma zinc without increasing plasma copper.

Conclusions:

• Current infant formulas likely cannot meet WHO recommended minimum copper intakes.
• The WHO's minimum copper intake recommendations for formula-fed infants may be inaccurate.
• Maternal zinc status is a potential indicator of infant birth weight.