Breast Milk Fatty Acid Research Articles

Quantity and Species of Fish Consumed Shapes Breast Milk Fatty Acid Concentrations Around Lake Victoria, Kenya

Long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids found in breast milk are critical for optimal infant development and derived from dietary sources. While the availability of these fatty acids is associated with the consumption of fish in general, little is known about the relative contribution of maternal consumption of different fish species in shaping breast milk concentrations. Yet the availability of fish and composition of fish species are shifting in response to global environmental changes. Understanding how specific fish species contribute to breast milk fatty acid contribution provides an important link in understanding how the food environment affects nutrition.We examined associations between fish consumption and fatty acid concentrations in breast milk among mothers living around Lake Victoria. We used cross‐sectional analyses of associations between recent fish consumption and breast milk fatty acid concentrations. The study was conducted around Lake Victoria on Mfangano Island, Kenya where multiple fish species are key dietary components and also widely exported. Breastfeeding mothers (n=60) contributed breast milk samples, anthropometric measurements, and questionnaire responses.In the previous three days, 97% of women consumed an average of 178g +/− 111.1g of fish (~2 servings/3 days). Average breast milk concentrations of fatty acid were high, including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 0.75% of total fatty acids), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 0.16%), arachidonic acid (AA; 0.44%), and alpha‐linoleic acid (0.54%). Breast milk DHA concentrations exceeded the global average of 0.32% in 98% of samples. We found that native fish, cichlids (Cichlidae) and dagaa (R. argentea), contribute high levels of DHA, EPA, and AA to local diets. We also found evidence for associations between fish species consumed and breast milk fatty acid levels of alpha‐linoleic acid (ALA), linoleic acid (LA), EPA, and AA when controlling for intake of other fish species, maternal BMI, maternal age, breastfeeding child age, and exclusive breastfeeding.Our results provide evidence that the fish species consumed influences the fatty acid composition of breast milk. Ensuring access to diverse fish, and particularly inexpensive and non‐export species, may be important for diet quality as well as infant growth and development.Support or Funding InformationNSF‐GEO grant CNH115057; Cornell University Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future and NSF DDRI (KJF)

Breastmilk with a high omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio induced cellular events similar to insulin resistance and obesity in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

An imbalance of omega (n)-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) during critical periods of development may have adverse effects on the health of the newborn in later life. We hypothesized that breastmilk with higher n-6 to n-3 PUFA ratio will have higher inflammatory cytokines and initiate cellular events similar to insulin resistance and obesity. Breastmilk was collected from healthy women who gave natural birth at full term. Breastmilk fatty acids were measured using gas chromatography; samples were pooled based on the n-6 to n-3 PUFA ratio (high, medium and low), and soluble cytokines were measured. Pooled samples were used to treat 3T3-L1 cells; mRNA expression of diacylglycerol acyltransferase2, stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1, leptin and RPLPO was measured. Breastmilk with a higher ratio of n-6 to n-3 PUFA showed higher pro-inflammatory cytokines; there was a direct correlation between n-6 PUFA and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Breastmilk with a higher ratio of n-6 to n-3 PUFA increased the expression of genes involved in lipogenesis. Pro-inflammatory cytokines in breastmilk are associated with higher levels of n-6 PUFA in breastmilk and has the capacity to alter adipose tissue metabolism to likely predispose the newborn to a higher risk of obesity in later life.

Breast milk fatty acid composition and fatty acid intake of lactating mothers in South Korea.

The aim of this study was to determine the fatty acid (FA) composition of breast milk, and its association with mothers' FA intake. Milk samples were obtained from 238 healthy lactating women who volunteered to participate in the Human Milk Micronutrients Analysis Research. Dietary intake during lactation was assessed using a 3-d food record, and fat content and FA composition of the breast milk samples were analysed by IR spectrometry using MilkoScan FT2 and GC flame ionisation detector, respectively. The fat content was 3·31 (sd 1·41) g/100 ml breast milk. The concentrations of arachidonic acid (20 : 4 n-6), EPA (20 : 5 n-3) and DHA (22 : 6 n-3) in breast milk were 0·48 (sd 0·13), 0·15 (sd 0·12) and 0·67 (sd 0·47) % of total FA, respectively. Fat content and FA composition of breast milk were associated with maternal age, BMI, supplement use and infant age. Dietary intakes of EPA, DHA, n-3 FA, n-6 FA, SFA and PUFA were positively correlated with the corresponding FA in the milk samples. FA levels in breast milk and maternal diet are highly correlated. Further studies are warranted to explore factors that may be associated with changes in FA composition in human milk.

Influence of maternal and socioeconomic factors on breast milk fatty acid composition in urban, low-income families.

The lipid composition of breast milk may have a significant impact on early infant growth and cognitive development. Comprehensive breast milk data is lacking from low‐income populations in the Indian subcontinent impeding assessment of deficiencies and limiting development of maternal nutritional interventions. A single breast milk specimen was collected within 6 weeks postpartum from two low‐income maternal cohorts of exclusively breastfed infants, from Dhaka, Bangladesh (n = 683) and Kolkata, India (n = 372) and assayed for percentage composition of 26 fatty acids. Mature milk (>15 days) in Dhaka (n = 99) compared to Kolkata (n = 372) was higher in total saturated fatty acid (SFA; mean 48% vs. 44%) and disproportionately lower in ω3‐polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), hence the ω6‐ and ω3‐PUFA ratio in Dhaka were almost double the value in Kolkata. In both sites, after adjusting for days of lactation, increased maternal education was associated with decreased SFA and PUFA, and increasing birth order or total pregnancies was associated with decreasing ω6‐PUFA or ω3‐PUFA by a factor of 0.95 for each birth and pregnancy. In Dhaka, household prosperity was associated with decreased SFA and PUFA and increased ω6‐ and ω3‐PUFA. Maternal height was associated with increased SFA and PUFA in Kolkata (1% increase per 1 cm), but body mass index showed no independent association with either ratio in either cohort. In summary, the socioeconomic factors of maternal education and household prosperity were associated with breast milk composition, although prosperity may only be important in higher cost of living communities. Associated maternal biological factors were height and infant birth order, but not adiposity. Further study is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of these effects.

Effects of a lipid-based nutrient supplement during pregnancy and lactation on maternal plasma fatty acid status and lipid profile: Results of two randomized controlled trials

It is unknown whether a novel small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplement (SQ-LNS) containing alpha-linolenic (ALA) and linoleic acids impacts maternal plasma lipids and fatty acid status. We measured plasma fatty acids (wt%) and lipid concentrations at 36 wk gestation and breast milk fatty acids (wt%) at 6 months postpartum in a subsample of women enrolled in a randomized controlled trial studying the effects of SQ-LNS on birth outcomes and child growth. Women≤20 wk gestation in Ghana (n=1,320) and Malawi (n=1,391) were assigned to receive daily either: 1) iron-folic acid (pregnancy); 2) multiple micronutrients (pregnancy and lactation); or 3) SQ-LNS (pregnancy and lactation). At 36 wk, plasma ALA levels were higher in those receiving SQ-LNS. SQ-LNS increased breast milk ALA in Ghana but not Malawi. There was no effect on plasma lipids or other selected fatty acids. SQ-LNS may impact plasma and breast milk ALA levels depending on the population.

Impact of maternal nutrition on breast-milk composition: a systematic review ,

Background: It is widely reported that maternal diet influences the nutritional composition of breast milk. The amount of variability in human milk attributable to diet remains mostly unknown. Most original studies that reported a dietary influence on breast-milk composition did not assess diet directly, did not quantify its association with milk composition, or both.Objective: To gather the quantitative evidence on this issue, we carried out a systematic PubMed and Medline search of articles published up to January 2015 and filtered the retrieved articles according to predefined criteria.Design: Only studies that provided quantitative information on both maternal diet and milk data, measured in individual healthy mothers of healthy term infants and based on an original observational or experimental design, were included. Exclusion criteria were a focus on supplements, transfer of toxic metals or other contaminants from diet to milk, or on marginally nourished women.Results: Thirty-six publications—including data on 1977 lactating women—that matched our criteria were identified. Seventeen studies investigated dietary effects on fatty acids in breast milk. The rest included studies that focused on a diverse spectrum of other nutritional properties of breast milk. The largest evidence, in terms of number of articles, for any link between maternal diet and a nutritive property of breast milk came from 3 studies that supported the link between fish consumption and high docosahexaenoic acid in breast milk and 2 studies that reported a positive correlation between dietary vitamin C and milk concentrations of this vitamin.Conclusions: The available information on this topic is scarce and diversified. Most of the evidence currently used in clinical practice to make recommendations is limited to studies that only reported indirect associations.

Breastmilk fatty acids in relation to sensitization - the ALADDIN birth cohort.

Breastmilk fatty acids (FAs) have been associated with childhood allergic disease. Children of families with an anthroposophic lifestyle have a low prevalence of sensitization compared to reference groups. This study aimed to investigate whether the lower prevalence of sensitization among these children can be explained by the differences in breastmilk FA composition. The prospective birth cohort ALADDIN included 330 children from anthroposophic, partly anthroposophic and nonanthroposophic families recruited between 2004 and 2007 in Sweden. In total, 245 breastmilk samples, collected at 2months of age, were analysed for FA composition. Allergen-specific IgE levels against seven common allergens were measured in the blood samples at the ages of 6, 12 and 24months. Data were analysed longitudinally using generalized estimating equations. An inverse association was observed between total concentration of omega-3 PUFA in breastmilk and sensitization in the child up to 24months of age (highest vs lowest quartile, RRadj 0. 49, 95% CI 0.23-1.05, P for trend 0.024). No associations were observed between omega-6 PUFAs or ruminant FAs and sensitization. Overall, we observed 56% lower risks of sensitization among the anthroposophic group compared to the nonanthroposophic group (RRadj 0.44, 95% CI 0.21-0.90). This association remained largely unchanged when breastmilk omega-3 PUFA was included in the model. Our results indicate that a higher concentration of omega-3 PUFAs in breastmilk may be associated with a reduced risk of sensitization up to 24months of age; however, this did not explain the lower risk of sensitization among children of anthroposophic families.

Reducing dietary intake of linoleic acid of mouse dams during lactation increases offspring brain n-3 LCPUFA content

Omega (n-)3 and n-6 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) accumulation in the infant brain after birth is strongly driven by dietary supply of n-3 and n-6 LCPUFAs and their C18 precursors through breast milk or infant formula. n-3 LCPUFA accretion is associated with positive effects on neurodevelopmental outcome whereas high n-6 LCPUFA accumulation is considered disadvantageous. Maternal diet is crucial for breast milk fatty acid composition. Unfortunately, global increases in linoleic acid (C18:2n-6; LA) intake have dramatically increased n-6 LCPUFA and reduced n-3 LCPUFA availability for breastfed infants. We investigated the effects of reducing maternal dietary LA, or increasing n-3 LCPUFA, during lactation on milk and offspring brain fatty acids in mice. Offspring brain n-3 LCPUFA was higher following both interventions, although effects were mediated by different mechanisms. Because of competitive interactions between n-3 and n-6 fatty acids, lowering maternal LA intake may support neurodevelopment in breastfed infants.

Association of polyunsaturated fatty acids in breast milk with fatty acid desaturase gene polymorphisms among Chinese lactating mothers

BackgroundThe fatty acid desaturase (FADS) controls polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) synthesis in human tissues and breast milk. DesignEvaluate the influence of 10 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and various haplotypes in the FADS gene cluster (FADS1, FADS2, FADS3) on PUFA concentration in the breast milk of 209 healthy Chinese women. PUFA concentrations were measured in breast milk using gas chromatography and genotyping was performed using the Sequenom Mass Array system. ResultsA SNP (rs1535) and 2-locus haplotypes (rs3834458-rs1535, rs1535-rs174575) in the FADS2 gene were associated with concentrations of γ-linoleic acid (GLA) and arachidonic acid (AA) in breast milk. Likewise, in the FADS1 gene, a 2-locus constructed haplotype (rs174547-rs174553) also affected GLA and AA concentration (P<0.05 for all). Minor allele carriers of the SNP and haplotypes described above had lower concentrations of GLA and AA. In the FADS2 gene, the 3-locus haplotype rs3834458-rs1535-rs174575, significantly affected concentrations of GLA but not AA. Pairwise comparison showed that individuals major homozygous for the SNP rs1000778 in the FADS3 gene had lower concentrations of ALA and linoleic acid (LA) in their breast milk. ConclusionPolymorphisms in the FADS gene cluster influence PUFA concentrations in the breast milk of Chinese Han lactating women.

Analysis of breast milk fatty acid composition using dried milk samples.

BackgroundThe effect of breast milk fatty acid (FA) composition, particularly levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), on infant health outcomes is unclear. Part of the reason for this is difficulties in collecting, storing and shipping milk samples to the laboratory. Here we report the validation of a dried milk spot (DMS) system to measure FA composition to help overcome these obstacles.Milk FA were measured by gas chromatography and reported as percent of total FA; the FA of primary interest in this study were DHA and industrially produced trans FA (iTFA). Experiments were carried out using pooled milk samples from US (n = 5) and Malawian women (n = 50). Experiments compared liquid vs. DMS samples (n = 55), assessed stability of FA composition under different storage conditions (n = 5), and compared the results from two different labs using the same methods (n = 5).ResultsBoth % DHA and % iTFA levels in liquid and DMS samples were strongly correlated (R2 = 0.99 and 0.99, respectively, P < 0.0001). The % DHA in DMS samples was stable for up to four weeks at room temperature and up to three years at -80 °C; only slight deviations from the acceptable range of variability (±15 %) occurred in the 4 °C and -20 °C conditions for % DHA. The % iTFA was stable under all conditions. All % DHA and % iTFA were within 15 % of the referent when analyzed in two laboratories.ConclusionsValid FA composition values can be obtained from DMS samples using this robust collection and transport system which should facilitate studies of the role of milk FA composition in infant development.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13006-016-0060-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Association between breast milk fatty acids and HIV-1 transmission through breastfeeding

A residual mother-to-child transmission of HIV through breastfeeding persists despite prophylaxis. We identified breast milk fatty acids (FA) associated with postnatal HIV transmission through breastfeeding in a case-control study. Cases (n=23) were HIV-infected women with an infant who acquired HIV after 6 weeks of age. Controls (n=23) were matched on infant׳s age at sample collection. Adjusting for maternal antenatal plasma CD4 T cell count, cis-vaccenic acid (18:1n-7) and eicosatrienoic acid (20:3n-3) were associated with HIV transmission in opposite dose–response manner: OR (tertile 3 versus tertile 1): 10.8 and 0.16, p for trend=0.02 and 0.03, respectively. These fatty acids correlated with HIV RNA load, T helper-1 related cytokines, IL15, IP10, and β2 microglobulin, positively for cis-vaccenic acid, negatively for eicosatrienoic acid. These results suggested a change in FA synthesis by mammary gland cells leading to increased cis-vaccenic acid in milk of mothers who transmitted HIV to their infant during breastfeeding.

Breast milk fatty acid composition has a long-term effect on the risk of asthma, eczema, and sensitization.

Levels of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and n-6 PUFAs in breast milk are associated with the development of allergic diseases up to school age. However, it is unknown whether this relationship persists when the child becomes older. We therefore studied the association between levels of n-3 PUFAs and n-6 PUFAs in breast milk of allergic- and nonallergic mothers and asthma, eczema and sensitization up to the age of 14 years. The study was nested in the ongoing PIAMA birth cohort. At the child's age of 3 months, 276 mothers provided a breast milk sample. Asthma (N total = 269) and eczema (N total = 274) were self-reported up to the child's age of 14 years. Specific serum IgE levels were measured at the ages of 4, 8 and 12 years (N total = 216). Generalized estimating equations analyses were used to take account of repeated observations. Asthma up to the age of 14 years is less prevalent in children of allergic mothers receiving breast milk with higher levels of n-3 long chain polyunsaturated (LCP) fatty acids (OR 0.50; 95% CI 0.31-0.79), and more prevalent in children of nonallergic mothers receiving breast milk with higher levels of n-6LCP (OR 1.86; 95% CI 1.14-3.03). Weaker associations in similar direction were observed for eczema and sensitization. Direction of associations were consistent and of similar magnitude throughout childhood. The association between breast milk fatty acid composition and asthma, eczema and sensitization persists up to the age of 14 years in children of both allergic and nonallergic mothers.

Lipid hydrolysis products affect the composition of infant gut microbial communities in vitro.

Some lipid hydrolysis products such as medium-chained NEFA (MC-NEFA), sphingosine and monoacylglycerols (MAG) possess antibacterial activity, while others, including oleic acid, are essential for the optimal growth of Lactobacillus species. Thus, changes in the concentrations of NEFA and MAG in the distal ileum and colon can potentially selectively modulate the composition of the gut microbiota, especially in early life when lipid absorption efficacy is reduced. As medium-chained fatty acids are enriched in mothers' milk, such effects may be highly relevant during gut colonisation. In the present study, we examined the effect of selected NEFA, MAG and sphingosine on the composition of faecal microbial communities derived from infants aged 2-5 months during a 24h anaerobic in vitro fermentation. We tested lipid mixtures in the concentration range of 0-200μm, either based on MC-NEFA (10:0 to 14:0 and MAG 12:0) or long-chained NEFA (LC-NEFA; 16:0 to 18:1 and MAG 16:0) with and without sphingosine, representing lipid hydrolysis products characteristic for intestinal hydrolysis of breast milk lipids. Ion Torrent sequencing of the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene revealed that the relative abundance of lactic acid-producing genera, including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, was generally increased in the presence of 50μm or higher concentrations of MC-NEFA. For Bifidobacterium, the same effect was also observed in the presence of a mixture containing LC-NEFA with sphingosine. On the contrary, the relative abundance of Enterobacteriaceae was significantly decreased in the presence of both lipid mixtures. Our findings suggest that the high concentration of medium-chained fatty acids in breast milk might have functional effects on the establishment of the gut microbiota in early life.

Is there a difference in breast milk fatty acid composition of mothers of preterm and term infants?

Objective: Arachidonic acid (ARA) (c20:4 w6) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA) (c22:6 w3) are of major importance for neural maturation and retinal function in infancy. Requirements in preterm infants are increased due to accelerated growth and limited body stores. Data regarding human milk fatty acid composition after preterm and full-term delivery is inconsistent. This study compared fatty acid composition in breast milk from full-term and preterm infants. Findings were correlated with maternal dietary intake.Methods: Human milk was obtained 4–5 days after full-term delivery (20 infants) and 4–5, 10–11 and 14–15 days after preterm delivery (21 infants, of whom 6 were born before 30 weeks). For fatty acid analysis, lipids were extracted, transesterified and separated by gas liquid chromatography.Results: Total fat content was similar in the two groups. FA composition including LCPUFA and specifically ARA & DHA were similar in full-term and preterm infants and in the sub-set born before 30 weeks. In preterm infants, postnatal age did not influence LCPUFA content.Conclusions: This study did not detect any effect of gestational age or postnatal age on milk LCPUFA content. Accordingly, the increased demand for LCPUFA and specifically DHA in preterm infants need to be met by other supplementation.

Docosahexaenoic acid supplementation in lactating women increases breast milk and plasma docosahexaenoic acid concentrations and alters infant omega 6:3 fatty acid ratio

This study investigated the effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation on the fatty acid composition of breast milk and plasma concentrations in lactating women and their infants. Eighty-nine lactating women 4–6 weeks post-partum received placebo, 200mg or 400mg DHA for 6 weeks with usual diets. Breast milk fatty acids and maternal plasma fatty acids were measured at the beginning and end of the study and infant plasma at the end of the study. Breast milk and maternal plasma DHA were significantly greater with 200mg and 400mg DHA compared with placebo (50% and 123% breast milk p<0.05; 71% and 101% plasma, p<0.0001), respectively. Infant plasma omega 6:3 and arachidonic acid (AA):DHA were significantly greater in the placebo group compared to both supplement groups (67% and 106%; 71% and 116%, respectively, p<0.05). DHA supplementation impacts infant fatty acids important for brain development and breast milk fatty acid composition.

Rapid and selective manipulation of milk fatty acid composition in mice through the maternal diet during lactation.

Dietary fatty acid (FA) composition in early postnatal life can modulate growth and development and later metabolic health. Investigating programming effects of early dietary FA manipulations in rodents may be stressful and complicated due to the need of artificial feeding techniques. It is largely unknown to what extent breast milk (BM) FA composition can be directly manipulated by the diet. We exposed dams to different dietary FA compositions from postnatal day (PN) 2 until PN28. Dams with litters were randomly assigned to control (CTRL), high-medium-chain FA (MCFA), low-linoleic acid (LowLA), high-n-3 long-chain PUFA (n-3LCP) or high-n-3LCP and MCFA (n-3LCP/MCFA) diets, and diets were continued after weaning until PN28. FA compositions were determined in feeds, milk and in erythrocytes. BM MCFA content was independent from dietary MCFA intake. In contrast, the LowLA diet reduced BM LA content by about 50 % compared with the CTRL diet at PN7. BM of dams fed the n-3LCP or n-3LCP/MCFA diet contained about 6-fold more n-3 LCP than BM of the dams fed the CTRL diet at PN7. These changes in milk FA composition established after 5 d of dietary exposure did not further change over the lactation period. At PN28, the erythrocyte FA composition of the male pups correlated with analysed milk FA profiles. In conclusion, manipulation of the diet of lactating mice can strongly and rapidly affect BM FA composition, in particular of n-6 LA and n-3 LCP. Our present findings will facilitate mechanistic studies on the programming of adult metabolic health by dietary FA in the early postnatal period via direct and selective manipulation of the maternal diet.

Breast milk from women living near Lake Malawi is high in docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid

Adequate long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) intake is critical during the fetal and infant periods. We quantified fatty acid content of breast milk (n=718) and plasma from six month old infants (n=412) in southern Malawi, and in usipa (n=3), a small dried fish from Lake Malawi. Compared to global norms, Malawian breast milk fatty acid content (% of total fatty acids) was well above average levels of arachidonic acid [ARA] (0.69% vs. 0.47%) and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA] (0.73% vs. 0.32%). Average Malawian infant plasma ARA (7.5%) and DHA (3.8%) levels were comparable to those reported in infants consuming breast milk with similar fatty acid content. The amounts (mg) of DHA, EPA and ARA provided by a 3oz (85g) portion of dried usipa (1439, 659 and 360, respectively) are considerably higher than those for dried salmon. Usipa may be an important source of LCPUFA for populations in this region.

Breast milk, microbiota, and intestinal immune homeostasis.

Newborns adjust to the extrauterine environment by developing intestinal immune homeostasis. Appropriate initial bacterial colonization is necessary for adequate intestinal immune development. An environmental determinant of adequate colonization is breast milk. Although the full-term infant is developmentally capable of mounting an immune response, the effector immune component requires bacterial stimulation. Breast milk stimulates the proliferation of a well-balanced and diverse microbiota, which initially influences a switch from an intrauterine TH2 predominant to a TH1/TH2 balanced response and with activation of T-regulatory cells by breast milk-stimulated specific organisms (Bifidobacteria, Lactobacillus, and Bacteroides). As an example of its effect, oligosaccharides in breast milk are fermented by colonic bacteria producing an acid milieu for bacterial proliferation. In addition, short-chain fatty acids in breast milk activate receptors on T-reg cells and bacterial genes, which preferentially mediate intestinal tight junction expression and anti-inflammation. Other components of breast milk (defensins, lactoferrin, etc.) inhibit pathogens and further contribute to microbiota composition. The breast milk influence on initial intestinal microbiota also prevents expression of immune-mediated diseases (asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes) later in life through a balanced initial immune response, underscoring the necessity of breastfeeding as the first source of nutrition.

O-038 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Composition Of Breast Milk From Eastern Canadian Mothers Of Preterm Infants

<h3>Background and aim</h3> Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential for early human neurodevelopment. Since breast milk represents the main dietary source of PUFAs for preterm infants, its fatty acid composition is of particular interest. Breast milk fatty acid composition fluctuates from one woman to another, by duration of gestation and stage of lactation, and among countries. As PUFA composition of breast milk from Western Canadian mothers of preterm infants has been previously described, the aim of this pilot study was to describe the compositional variations of PUFAs in breast milk of Eastern Canadian mothers of preterm infants over the first 6 weeks of lactation. <h3>Methods</h3> Samples of breast milk were collected on the 7th, 21st, and 42nd day of lactation from 40 Eastern Canadian mothers who had given birth to preterm infants of gestational age less than 30 weeks. Lipids were extracted using the Folch method (Folch <i><i>et al</i></i>., 1957). Thereafter, the method of direct transesterification was performed (Lepage and Roy, 1986) and PUFAs were quantified by gas chromatography. <h3>Results</h3> Throughout the study, fatty acids from the n-3 and n-6 families, linoleic acid (C18:2n-6), α-linolenic acid (C18:3n-3), and eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5n-3) remained stable, whereas arachidonic acid (C20:4n-6) and docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6n-3) decreased significantly. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Results on the compositional variations of PUFAs in breast milk over the first weeks of lactation are somewhat similar to results of previous European studies. However, values of PUFAs in preterm breast milk of Eastern Canadian mothers are lower than those of Western Canadian mothers.

EXPERT VIEW OF THE ROLE OF FATS IN PEDIATRIC NUTRITION

научный биометрический журнал, который знакомит читателя с клиническими рекомендациями и особенностями применения лекарственных и вакцинных средств у детей, предоставляет исчерпывающую информацию о воздействии лекарственных средств на плод, о проводимых в