Abstract
This study determined fatty acid (FA) concentrations in maternal milk and investigated the association between omega-3 fatty acid levels and their maternal current dietary intake (based on three-day dietary records) and habitual dietary intake (based on intake frequency of food products). Tested material comprised 32 samples of human milk, coming from exclusively breastfeeding women during their first month of lactation. Milk fatty acids were analyzed as fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) by gas chromatography using a Hewlett-Packard 6890 gas chromatograph with MS detector 5972A. We did not observe any correlation between current dietary intake of omega-3 FAs and their concentrations in human milk. However, we observed that the habitual intake of fatty fish affected omega-3 FA concentrations in human milk. Kendall’s rank correlation coefficients were 0.25 (p = 0.049) for DHA, 0.27 (p = 0.03) for EPA, and 0.28 (p = 0.02) for ALA. Beef consumption was negatively correlated with DHA concentrations in human milk (r = −0.25; p = 0.046). These findings suggest that current omega-3 FA intake does not translate directly into their concentration in human milk. On the contrary, their habitual intake seems to markedly influence their milk concentration.
Highlights
Human milk is universally recognized as the optimal food for infants
We hypothesize that the concentration of omega-3 fatty acids in human milk is related to their habitual but not current intake; for this reason, in this study, we aimed to determine FA concentrations in maternal milk and assess the association between omega-3 fatty acids levels and their maternal dietary intake evaluated with two methods: dietary intake based on the three-day dietary record, and intake frequency of food products (FFQ, or food frequency questionnaire)
This study shows that the women under study during breastfeeding had an adequate intake of foods that are natural sources of omega-3 FAs, which resulted in a high concentration of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in their milk
Summary
Human milk is universally recognized as the optimal food for infants. Many studies have shown the role of fat in human milk as the main source of energy, selected fatty acids (FAs), crucial fat-soluble vitamins, and key nutrients for the infant development [1,2,3]. Among FAs, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are of principal importance. The two major classes of PUFAs are those of omega-3 and omega-6 families. Omega-3 fatty acids have a carbon–carbon double bond located in the third position from the methyl end of the chain. There are several different omega-3 FAs, but the majority of human milk research focuses on three: docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), α-linolenic acid (ALA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). ALA contains 18 carbon atoms, whereas EPA and DHA are considered “long-chain” (LC)
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.
