Abstract
BackgroundMalnutrition is a public health problem, as wasting affects 7.5% of children worldwide. The harmful effects of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) can last a lifetime, but how SAM in childhood affects later breastfeeding ability is not clear. In the present study, we assessed the human milk output and body composition among mothers with a history of childhood SAM.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study was carried out in Miti-Murhesa Health Zone (Democratic Republic of Congo) from January 15 to March 17, 2020. We selected lactating mothers with breastfed infants aged 2–12 months. Two categories of mothers were included: those who had been treated for SAM during their childhood (years 1988–2003; n = 39) and a community control with no history of SAM (n = 40). The weight, height, and mid-upper arm circumference were measured and body mass index (BMI) calculated as weight/height2. Body composition and human milk output were assessed using standard deuterium dilution methods. Student t and chi2 tests ware applied to compare two groups.ResultsThe mean age ± standard deviation of the mothers was 24.4 ± 5.1 and 26.0 ± 6.1 years for the SAM and control groups, respectively (p = 0.186). The age of their infants was 5.4 ± 2.3 months in both groups (p = 0.962). In the SAM and control groups, the mean maternal BMI was 23.8 ± 2.3 and 23.6 ± 3.7 kg/m2 (p = 0.849), mean Fat Mass 27.1% ± 5.0 and 27.1% ± 5.8% (p = 0.708), and the mean Fat Free mass 72.9% ± 5.0 and 72.9% ± 5.8% (p = 0.998), respectively. Human milk output was 833.7 ± 152.1 g/d in SAM group and 827.4 ± 171.4 g/d in the control group (p = 0.864).ConclusionsWe found no significant difference in human milk output and body composition in mothers treated for SAM during childhood compared to community controls.
Highlights
Malnutrition is a public health problem, especially in low and medium-income countries (LMICs)
As a secondary objective our study aims to compare the body composition of lactating mothers according to the two-compartment model: Fat Mass (FM) and Fat Free Mass (FFM)
A total of 79 lactating mothers with infants aged 2 to 12 months were included in the study (39 lactating mothers exposed to severe acute malnutrition (SAM) during childhood and 40 community controls)
Summary
Malnutrition is a public health problem, especially in low and medium-income countries (LMICs). Various studies have shown that malnutrition in childhood has adverse health consequences, including heightened risk of metabolic diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, in adolescence and adulthood [5,6,7,8]. Studies conducted on a cohort of former subjects treated for SAM during childhood in the DRC showed that surviving males exposed to childhood SAM had low body weight, short height, but no difference for females [9]. Subjects exposed to SAM during childhood had an overall higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome, carbohydrate metabolism disorder and a higher prevalence of diabetes and hypertension [10, 11]. Malnutrition is a public health problem, as wasting affects 7.5% of children worldwide.
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