Abstract
Excessive maternal fat mass may impair lactogenesis and lead to lower breastmilk volume. We investigated this relationship in rural Indonesian exclusively breastfeeding mother–infant (2–5.3 months) dyads (n = 112) by measuring breastmilk intake by deuterium oxide dose-to-mother technique (DDMT) and maternal fat mass by DDMT, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and body mass index (BMI). We also compared fat mass assessed by DDMT and BIA. In this population, we found a significant negative relationship between breastmilk intake and maternal fat mass measured by DDMT (β = −5.04 mL, 95% CI: −9.36, −0.72, P = 0.023), and similar but slightly weaker negative trend with BIA and BMI, after adjusting for social-economic status, maternal age, infant age and sex. Maternal fat mass estimates by BIA and DDMT showed good agreement. In light of the trend for overweight and obesity worldwide, further research is needed into the underlying mechanisms of this negative relationship.
Highlights
Exclusive breastfeeding up to the first six months of postnatal life is a WHO recommendation
2 Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia (DDMT) to generate simultaneously precise information on both breastmilk intake in exclusively breastfed infants and the degree of fatness of their mothers [2]. We have investigated this relationship in a group of rural Indonesian mother–infant dyads with breastmilk intake measured by deuterium oxide dose-to-mother technique (DDMT), and maternal fat mass by DDMT, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) or body mass index (BMI)
0.255 0.200 0.042 aadjusted for socio-economic status, maternal age, infant age, and infant sex CI confidence interval, BMI body mass index, BIA bioelectrical impedance analysis, DDMT deuterium oxide dose-to-mother technique each assessed via DDMT over 14 days, following the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) protocols, including conditions controlling for pre-measurement behaviours that may alter hydration state [6]
Summary
Exclusive breastfeeding up to the first six months of postnatal life is a WHO recommendation. Excessive body fat is said to be associated with a less adequate milk supply and significantly lower rates of initiation, duration, and exclusivity of breastfeeding, irrespective of the women’s ethnicity [1,2,3]. The cause of such poor lactation performance is said to be multi-factorial, and may include biological, psychosocial and mechanical factors [3, 4]. Most investigations of the relationship between poor lactation performance and excessive maternal body fat have used pre-pregnant body mass index (BMI) to classify women as overweight or obese, even though BMI fails to distinguish between weight associated with muscle with weight from body fat. Few studies have applied the deuterium oxide dose-to-mother technique
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
