Associations of maternal body composition and nutritional intake with fat content of Indonesian mothers’ breast milk
Abstract: Breast milk is the
best sole food for infants in their first six months of life. Breast milk fat
content accounts for the largest part of infants’ energy and may be influenced
by many factors, including maternal factors, which may vary in different
settings. So far, there has been no published data about the breast milk fat
content of Indonesian mothers, including whether it is affected by their body
composition or nutritional intake.
Objective To investigate breast milk fat content of Indonesian mothers
and its associations with maternal body composition and nutritional intake.
Method This cross-sectional study was conducted at Budi Kemuliaan
Mothers’ and Children’s Hospital. Breast milk specimens were collected from 48
nursing mothers, centrifuged, and tested by creamatocrit for fat content. A
24-hour food recall was performed to evaluate maternal macronutrient intake.
Maternal body composition was evaluated by bioelectric impedance analysis.
Univariable correlations between breast milk fat content and either energy and
macronutrient intake were assessed using the Spearman rho test.
Results All nursing mothers had breast milk fat content within clinically
normal range [mean 59.4 (SD 15.9) g/L]. There was no significant correlation
between milk fat content and maternal body fat (r = -0.03, P=0.840), total body
water (r = 0.09 P=0.509), or muscle mass (r = 0.08, P=0.577). Milk fat content
seemed to weakly correlated with maternal fat intake, although it was not
statistically significant (r = 0.27, P=0.065).
Conclusion Breast milk fat content at one-month post delivery appears not
associated with with maternal body composition. It seems to weakly correlate
with maternal fat intake but findings need to be confirmed in larger studies
with adjustment for confounding variables.
Keywords: human milk; milk
fat; energy intake; macronutrients; body composition
Author: Ardesy Melizah
Kurniati, Diana Sunardi, Ali Sungkar, Saptawati Bardosono, Neng Tine Kartinah
Journal Code: jpkedokterangg160203
