Human Nutrition Research Center Research Articles

Doris Howes Calloway

When the US Department of Agriculture developed a new West Coast human nutrition research center in 1980, it turned to Dr Doris Calloway at the University of California at Berkeley, an internationally known and respected researcher in human nutrition, for expertise on controlled human nutrition metabolic research. This article highlights the importance and impact of Dr Calloway's leadership, expertise, and unique metabolic research methods in establishing human nutrition metabolic research at the US Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service, Western Human Nutrition Research Center. It also provides a historical overview of the origins of the Western Human Nutrition Research Center and discusses the importance of a metabolic facility for human nutrition research.

Dietary Energy.

Journal Article Accepted manuscript Dietary Energy Get access Susan B Roberts, Susan B Roberts Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA Address correspondence to SBR (E-mail: susan.roberts@tufts.edu). https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1320-8460 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Valerie Flaherman Valerie Flaherman Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Advances in Nutrition, nmac092, https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmac092 Published: 27 August 2022

Waking Salivary Cortisol Associated with Magnitude of Cholesterol Reduction in Women Fed a Healthy Whole-Food Diet for 8 Weeks

Diet and cortisol are independently linked to cardiometabolic function and health, but underlying alterations in circulating cortisol may influence beneficial cardiometabolic effects of consuming a healthy diet. This study was a secondary analysis to examine whether baseline concentrations of waking salivary cortisol interacted with 8-wk whole-food diet interventions to affect cardiometabolic outcomes. A randomized, double-blind, controlled 8-wk diet intervention was conducted in 44 participants. The trial was conducted at the Western Human Nutrition Research Center in Davis, California. Participants were overweight or obese women aged 20-64 y, minimally active, and insulin resistant and/or dyslipidemic. Diets were randomly assigned and based on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) or a typical American diet (TAD). Cardiometabolic risk factors and salivary cortisol were assessed at baseline and at 8 wk. Primary outcome measures included 8-wk change in overnight fasted cardiometabolic risk factors, including blood pressure, BMI, and circulating triglycerides, cholesterol, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), nonesterified fatty acids, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. This trial was approved by the University of California, Davis, Institutional Review Board. Baseline waking cortisol concentrations interacted (P = 0.0474) with diet to affect 8-wk changes in fasting total cholesterol. Compared with a TAD, a DGA diet was associated with 8-wk decreases in total cholesterol in participants with low (10th percentile of all participants; 2.76 nmol/L) or average (7.76 nmol/L) but not higher (90th percentile of all participants; 13.44 nmol/L) baseline waking cortisol. Consistent with this finding, there was a DGA-specific positive association (P = 0.0047; b: 2.88 ± 0.94) between baseline waking cortisol and 8-wk increases in total cholesterol. The underlying status of waking cortisol may explain interindividual variability in total cholesterol responses to whole-food diets. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02298725) as NCT02298725.

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Associations of Low-Inflammatory Dietary Patterns With Psychological Health and Wellbeing During Weight Loss in Military Family Dependents

ObjectivesEmerging evidence suggests that anti-inflammatory dietary patterns may improve depression, stress, and quality of life. Similar benefits are observed during weight loss interventions; however, the effect of combining these dietary patterns with weight loss is not clear. We evaluated the association between dietary inflammation and measures of psychological health in female military dependents with overweight and obesity during a behavioral weight loss intervention. MethodsParticipants (n = 120) received a 6-month intervention recommending dietary patterns with an anti-inflammatory profile. An energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (DII) score was calculated from 28 food components collected using 3 interviewer-administered multiple-pass 24-hour recalls at each study time point. A negative score indicates a lower-inflammatory dietary pattern, and a positive score indicates a pro-inflammatory pattern. Self-reported symptoms of depression, stress, general health, vitality, and psychological quality of life were measured by validated questionnaires. Multivariable linear mixed models were used to assess the association between 6-month changes in DII and each outcome and were adjusted for age, ethnicity, military rank of spouse, body weight, and physical activity. ResultsOn average, females were 42.2 ± 11.8 years old with a body mass index of 34.9 ± 6.4 kg/m2. The average DII score was 0.07 (range: –4.3, 3.0) at baseline. Six-month improvements in DII scores (i.e., for a 1-unit reduction) were associated with fewer self-reported symptoms of depression (β: –0.87; 95% confidence interval: –1.43, –0.31; P = 0.003) and stress (–0.85; –1.44, –0.26; P = 0.005), as well as higher general health (0.57; 0.23, 0.91; P = 0.001), vitality (0.45; 0.12, 0.77; P = 0.008), and psychological quality of life (0.33; 0.11, 0.55; P = 0.004). No significant associations between weight loss or physical activity and any outcome were observed in these models that included the DII. ConclusionsAnti-inflammatory dietary patterns are associated with beneficial effects on a range of psychological health and wellbeing measures independent of weight loss. Funding SourcesJean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging Doctoral Scholarship; Department of Defense (DoD) grant W81XWH-14–2-0005 (SBR). Author views do not reflect official DoD or Army policy.

Metabolic Adaptations to Weight Loss: Relative Changes in Resting Metabolic Rate and Energy Expenditure for Physical Activity and Association With Weight Loss Maintenance

Abstract Objectives There is persistent controversy over the extent to which different components of energy expenditure disproportionately decrease after weight loss and contribute to weight regain through decreased energy requirements. We conducted a secondary analysis of the CALERIE I study to test the hypothesis that decreased resting metabolic rate (RMR) and energy expenditure for physical activity (EEPA) after a 6-month calorie restriction intervention would predict weight regain at 12 months, with a greater decrease in RMR than EEPA. Methods Participants (n = 46) received all food and energy-containing beverages for 6 months. Outcome measures included total energy expenditure by doubly labeled water, RMR by indirect calorimetry, and body composition by BOD POD. Predictions for RMR and EEPA were derived from baseline linear regression models including age, sex, fat mass, and fat free mass. Baseline regression coefficients were used to calculate the predicted RMR and EEPA at 6 months. Residuals were calculated as the difference between measured and predicted values and were adjusted for body weight. The presence of metabolic adaptation was evaluated by a paired t-test comparing measured and predicted RMR at 6 months. Differences between 6-month RMR and EEPA residuals were evaluated by the same method. Linear regression was used to assess the association between 6-month residuals and weight loss maintenance (% weight change, 6 to 12 months). Results Mean weight loss was 6.9% at 6 months with 2.1% regain from 6 to 12 months. No adaptation in RMR was observed at 6 months (mean residual: 19 kcal; 95% confidence interval: −9, 48; P = 0.18). However, significant adaptation was observed in EEPA (mean residual: −199 kcal; −126, −272; P < 0.0001). In addition, the mean 6-month RMR residual was significantly greater than the mean 6-month EEPA residual (218 kcal; 133, 304; P < 0.0001). There was no significant association between 6-month RMR or EEPA residuals and weight regain at 12 months (P = 0.56, 0.34). Conclusions There was no measurable decrease in RMR with weight loss after adjusting for changes in fat free mass and fat mass, but there was a decrease in EEPA. Changes in RMR and EEPA with weight loss over 6 months did not predict weight regain at 12 months. Funding Sources Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging Doctoral Scholarship; USDA agreement #8050–51000-105–01S

Preanalytical Sample Handling Conditions and Their Effects on the Human Serum Metabolome in Epidemiologic Studies

Many epidemiologic studies use metabolomics for discovery-based research. The degree to which sample handling may influence findings, however, is poorly understood. In 2016, serum samples from 13 volunteers from the US Department of Agriculture's Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center were subjected to different clotting (30 minutes/120 minutes) and refrigeration (0 minutes/24 hours) conditions, as well as different numbers (0/1/4) and temperatures (ice/refrigerator/room temperature) of thaws. The median absolute percent difference (APD) between metabolite levels and correlations between levels across conditions were estimated for 628 metabolites. The potential for handling artifacts to induce false-positive associations was estimated using variable hypothetical scenarios in which 1%-100% of case samples had different handling than control samples. All handling conditions influenced metabolite levels. Across metabolites, the median APD when extending clotting time was 9.08%. When increasing the number of thaws from 0 to 4, the median APD was 10.05% for ice and 5.54% for room temperature. Metabolite levels were correlated highly across conditions (all r's ≥0.84), indicating that relative ranks were preserved. However, if handling varied even modestly by case status, our hypotheticals showed that results can be biased and can result in false-positive findings. Sample handling affects levels of metabolites, and special care should be taken to minimize effects. Shorter room-temperature thaws should be preferred over longer ice thaws, and handling should be meticulously matched by case status.

Trimethylamine-N-Oxide (TMAO) Is Not Associated with Average Daily Intake of Red Meat or TMAO-Precursor Foods in a Generally Healthy Population

Abstract Objectives The microbial metabolite trimethylamine n-oxide (TMAO) is associated with cardiovascular and renal disease. The dietary factors contributing to plasma TMAO concentrations are not well characterized in a generally healthy population unmedicated for metabolic diseases. The objective of this study was to assess the relationships among TMAO-precursor foods, TMAO, and classic cardiometabolic markers in a generally healthy population stratified for age, sex, and BMI. Methods Fasting plasma TMAO was quantified using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in 356 participants (n = 188 female, 18–65 yr, 18–40 BMI) enrolled in the cross-sectional Nutritional Phenotyping Study conducted as the USDA Western Human Nutrition Center. Diet was assessed by averaging 2 weekday and 1 weekend ASA-24hr recalls cleaned by NCBI guidelines. Fasting plasma analytes such as glucose, insulin, triglycerides, and cholesterol were measured using the Cobas Integra 400 Plus. Variables were transformed to conform to the normal distribution. Regression models assessing health parameters and TMAO were adjusted for age, sex, and the kidney function marker, cystatin C. Models assessing TMAO and diet variables were adjusted for age, sex, and energy intake. Composite variables describing average intake of red meat and TMAO-precursor foods were created by summing the appropriate ASA24 variables. Results TMAO was associated with age (P = 0.001), but not sex or BMI. A significant interaction (P = 0.006) between sex and age was used in all models. Of the variables analyzed, only refined grains and total energy intake were significantly associated with TMAO (r = −0.11, P = 0.04; r = 0.12, P = 0.03, respectively). Reduced renal function as assessed by circulating cystatin C concentrations was associated with plasma TMAO (r = 0.18, P < 0.001). Average daily red meat consumption as well as average daily TMAO-precursor consumption was not significantly associated with TMAO (P = 0.137, P = 0.554, respectively). In contrast, average daily fiber intake was marginally related to TMAO (B = −0.11, SE = 0.01, P = 0.07). Conclusions In this generally healthy population, no relationship between red meat or TMAO-precursor foods and TMAO was identified. Funding Sources The Beef Checkoff (R01HL128572); USDA/ARS/Western Human Nutrition Research Center project funds (2032–51,000-025–00D).

No Effect of the Dietary Inflammatory Index on Psychological Health During Caloric Restriction: A Secondary Analysis of the CALERIE Trial Data

Abstract Objectives Anti-inflammatory diets have been suggested to improve psychological health. This research evaluated the combined effects of consuming an anti-inflammatory diet and caloric restriction (CR) on changes in perceived stress and health-related quality of life in a healthy, non-obese population. Methods We conducted a secondary analysis of the publicly available CALERIE data. Participants were randomized to a 2 year CR intervention (n = 143) or an ad libitum Control group (n = 75) and self-selected their dietary intake. An energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (DII) was calculated based on 28 components from self-reported food records. Self-reported stress and general health outcomes were measured using validated questionnaires. Linear mixed models were used to assess changes in each outcome from baseline to 12 and 24 months. Models were adjusted for age, sex, baseline outcome measure, change in body fat, and a treatment by DII interaction term. Results On average, participants were 38.1 ± 7.2 years old with a BMI of 25.1 ± 1.7 kg/m2. Baseline characteristics, including the DII, stress, and general health, did not differ with randomization. There was no significant association between temporal changes in DII and changes in stress or general health in the CR or Control groups. On average, both groups tended to report higher stress at 12 months; however, there was no difference in perceived stress between groups (adjusted mean difference [MD]: 0.5; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.4, 1.5; P = 0.25). There was an improvement in reported general health in the CR group at 12 months (MD: 4.1; 95% CI: 2.2, 6.0; P < 0.001), but not in Controls (MD: 1.6; 95% CI: −1.2, 4.3; P = 0.26). Yet self-reported general health was similar both groups (MD: 2.5; 95% CI: −1.3, 6.3; P = 0.16). The effect of a CR intervention on both outcomes did not differ with change in DII. Similar results were observed at 24 months. Conclusions There was no indication of any contribution of a low DII score on perceived stress and general health in the presence of CR. Additional research is required to enhance our understanding of the implications of dietary inflammation on a broad range of psychological health outcomes. Funding Sources Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging Doctoral Scholarship; USDA agreement #8050–51,000-105–01S.

Dietary Sodium

Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, is a Gershoff Professor of Nutrition Science and Policy Director and Senior Scientist and director of the of Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory, Tufts University, JM USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging. The author has no conflicts of interest to disclose. Correspondence: Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory, Tufts University, JM USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, 711 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111 ([email protected]).

Maintaining Balance.

Writing this biography forced me to look back over my career as a scientist, teacher, wife, and mother. To my surprise, a lifelong theme emerged that I was unaware of, that is, the role of maintaining balance between work and family, science and teaching, mentorship and administration, and personal values and challenges. My primary mentor, Dr. Doris Calloway, demonstrated the importance of maintaining balance. My interest in nutrition started as a preschooler living on a farm where I learned firsthand the importance of balancing the expense of providing good nutrition to the livestock with potential income. In our small high school, I became acquainted with the fascinating field of chemistry, but found it critical to balance that interest with a politically correct field of study for a woman in the early 1960s. I chose dietetics for its strong roots in chemistry. As a US Army dietitian, I learned firsthand how to conduct metabolic studies and knew, immediately, that I had to balance that interest with future opportunities feasible for a dietitian. I chose the University of California, Berkeley, for my PhD because it needed to train dietitians in research to balance an emerging need to offer undergraduates a practicum in dietetics. My subsequent faculty appointment there enabled me to develop novel isotopic approaches for studying zinc and prenatal nutrition, and balance my research with teaching and administrative responsibilities. During the next 40 years, my work as a Berkeley professor led to appointments at the Western Human Nutrition Research Center and Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, while balancing my responsibilities as a wife and a mother to my two sons. Balance is defined as a condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions. It is extremely satisfying to look back and see evidence of successfully balancing the disparate elements of my career.

A Mediterranean-style Eating Pattern Lower in Lean Red Meat Reduced Plasma Trimethylamine N-Oxide in Adults Classified as Overweight or Obese (P08-030-19)

ObjectivesTo determine the effect of adopting a Mediterranean-style eating pattern with different quantities of lean unprocessed red meat on the plasma concentration of Trimethylamine N-Oxide (TMAO), an emerging potential cardiovascular disease risk factor, in middle-aged adults classified as overweight or obese. MethodsThirty-nine adults (12 males and 27 females; age 46 ±10 years, BMI 30.6 ± 3.6 kg/m2; mean ± SD) participated in a randomized, crossover and controlled feeding trial. Each participant consumed a Mediterranean-style eating pattern for two 5-week intervention periods separated by ∼4 weeks of consuming their unrestricted, self-selected diet (washout). The Mediterranean-style eating pattern contained either a commonly recommended amount of red meat (∼200 g/wk, Med-200) or the average amount consumed in the U.S. (∼500 g/wk, Med-500). Plasma samples were collected before (baseline) and at the end (post) of the two intervention periods and TMAO was measured by stable isotope dilution chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Geometric means were compared with mixed model tests in SAS. ResultsBaseline TMAO concentrations were not different between interventions (Med-200 = 4.4 ± 2.7 and Med-500 = 5.2 ± 4.5 μM, P = 0.476). These concentrations are similar to values reported in healthy adults. Post-intervention, TMAO was lower in Med-200 vs. Med-500 (3.1 ± 1.2 and 5.0 ± 2.6 μM, P = 0.001). ConclusionsThe 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourages adopting a Mediterranean-style eating pattern to promote cardiovascular health, including reduced blood pressure and improved lipid-lipoprotein profile. The current results suggest that adopting a Mediterranean-study eating pattern may also reduce the cardiovascular disease risk factor TMAO, but only when it contains a lower, recommended, amount of lean unprocessed red meat. The influences of animal- and plant-based foods consumed with a Mediterranean-style and other healthy eating patterns on emerging cardiovascular disease risk factors remain to be determined. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02573129. Funding SourcesSupported by theBeef Checkoff, the Pork Checkoff, the NIH pre-doctoral training grant 5T32DK076540-08, the NIH-supported Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute and the USDA-ARS-Western Human Nutrition Research Center.

Changes in Lipoproteins, Plasma Fatty Acid Profiles, and MicroRNA Following Four Months of Daily Almond Consumption (P08-098-19)

ObjectivesTo determine the effects of chronic almond consumption on blood lipoproteins, circulating fatty acids and microRNA profiles. MethodsThis study was a sixteen week two arm parallel randomized controlled trial. Participants received 20% of their daily calories from almonds or a calorie and fiber-matched control snack. Blood was collected at baseline, two months (midpoint), and four months (endpoint). Blood lipid panels were performed at all three time points and non-esterified fatty acid composition of fasting plasma was analyzed at the Western Human Nutrition Research Center. Total RNA was isolated from plasma samples and amplified by PCR using purchased microRNA primers, selected based on literature review and relevant biological pathways. Lipoprotein data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and lipidomics data were compared using the standard least squares approach. ResultsTwenty eight subjects completed the study protocol. There were no significant differences within or between groups for total cholesterol, HDL, or triglycerides. Time by treatment effects were significant for LDL in the treatment group at endline (−13.2 ±6.5 mg/dL, P = 0.048). There were no differences in concentration or profile found in plasma fatty acid profile and these amounts were largely unchanged by diet treatment. In analysis of non-esterified fatty acids, there was a weak time by treatment effect for calendic acid (18:3, n-6) that is not significant after comparison for multiple corrections. microRNA is being investigated as a potential driver of this change in LDL and results are pending. ConclusionsThis pilot investigation found a small but significant difference in LDL concentrations from baseline following 4 months of daily almond consumption. Findings that there is no difference by treatment in non-esterified plasma fatty acids suggest that this difference is not driven through fatty acid signaling. Post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression through microRNA is a line of inquiry that is currently being explored. Funding SourcesAlmond Board of California, Jastro Shields Research Grant.

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Effects of Milk Fat Globule Membrane on Lymphocyte Gene Expression and Markers of Metabolism and Inflammation in the Postprandial Period

ObjectiveTo test for a difference in lymphocyte gene expression in response to a high fat dairy challenge with or without milk fat globule membrane (MFGM).MethodsData was analyzed from twenty individuals with BMI > 25.0 kg/m2. On two separate occasions, each participant consumed a dairy‐based meal high in saturated fat with or without the addition of MFGM, following a 12‐hour fasting blood draw. Inflammatory markers including interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and C‐reactive protein (CRP), lipid and metabolic panels, and lymphocyte gene expression fold changes were measured using multi‐plex assays, clinical lab services, and TaqMan RT‐PCR, respectively. Fold changes were determined using the Pfaffl method, tested for differences through Wilcoxon Signed Rank, and corrected for multiple comparisons. Postprandial responses were quantified using incremental area under the curve (iAUC). Data was analyzed in Microsoft Excel and JMP Pro 13. Correlation analysis was used to determine associations between markers.ResultsThe median postprandial insulin response was found to be significantly lower following the meal containing MFGM (p=0.0003). Out of 56 genes analyzed, EPHX2 was shown to be more up‐regulated in the absence of MFGM (p=0.009). The median gene expression was lower and had a narrower response range when MFGM was added to the high‐fat test meal.ConclusionThe protein and lipid composition of MFGM is thought to be anti‐inflammatory. These exploratory analyses suggest that addition of MFGM to a high saturated fat meal may attenuate the upregulation of soluble epoxide hydrolase gene expression. Changes in inflammatory markers are important for determining a patient's inflammatory status, which is useful for the development of personalized nutrition and medicine, and disease prevention.This study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01811329Support or Funding InformationThis project was made possible by support from the National Dairy Council, Rosemont, IL. and the USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Western Human Nutrition Research CenterThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Construction of Comprehensive Flavonoid Analysis Tool by Using UV‐vis Spectra Library, In‐house Database, and Chemometrics

Liquid Chromatography and mass spectrometry methods, especially ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution accurate mass‐mass spectrometry (UHPLC‐HRAM‐MS), have become the best methods for flavonoid identification and quantification. However, processing acquired UHPLC‐HRAM‐MS data for flavonoid analysis is very challenging and highly expertise‐dependent because of the complexity of the physical and chemical properties of the flavonoids. An expert data analysis program, FlavonQ, has been developed to facilitate this process. The program first categorizes the flavonoids using a chemometric model based on the UV‐Vis spectra library compiled for 146 flavonoid reference standards. A novel stepwise classification strategy is used that provides data representation in each step as optimized by a projected distance resolution (PDR) method. The stepwise classification strategy significantly improves the performance of the classifiers which results in more accurate and reliable classification results. An in‐house flavonoid database which contains 5686 previously reported flavonoids is used for identification of flavonoids. FlavonQ was validated by analyzing data from samples with spiked flavonoid mixed standards and plant samples including blueberry, mizuna, purple mustard, red cabbage, and red mustard green extract. Accuracies for identification for all samples were above 88%. FlavonQ greatly facilitates the identification and quantitation of flavonoids from UHPLC‐HRAM‐MS data. The process is automated, saving tremendous resources, and allowing less‐experienced people to perform data analysis on flavonoids with reasonable results.Support or Funding InformationThis research is supported by the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an Interagency Agreement with the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health (Y01 OD001298‐01). The John A. Milner Fellowship program by USDA Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center and the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements is acknowledged for the support to Dr. Mengliang Zhang. We thank to Dr. Peter de B. Harrington for providing his codes on chemometric models.

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Variation of fasting plasma inflammatory markers in overweight and obese individuals

MethodsThirty‐six obese individuals were asked to fast for 12 hours prior to a baseline blood draw, on four separate visits separated by one to two weeks. Inflammatory markers, including serum amyloid A (SAA) and C‐reactive protein (CRP), cytokines, and adhesion markers were measured using multiplex assays. Data was analyzed in Microsoft Excel and JMP Pro 12. Multivariate analysis was used to determine associations between markers.ResultsThe results showed both positive and negative associations in the coefficient of variation (CV) of certain biomarkers in each subject. Some biomarkers, such as soluble Intracellular Adhesion Molecule (sICAM) and soluble Vascular Adhesion Molecule (sVCAM) had relatively low average CVs for all subjects (8.9% and 7.58%, respectively), whereas other biomarkers had much higher average CVs (Interleukin‐4, 77.68%). Additionally, multivariate plots of CV values for several biomarkers indicated positive associations, suggesting that within‐subject variability for these biomarkers may track similarly.ConclusionThese results suggest that some inflammatory markers may be more appropriate as biomarkers to measure inflammation than others. The baseline blood draw was completed in the morning and in a fasting state, without an inflammatory stimulus. Therefore, biomarkers with high CV levels may fluctuate for reasons that are not well‐understood. The amount of fluctuation within each subject offers insight to better understand which biomarkers may be useful clinically. Changes in inflammatory markers are important for determining a patient's inflammatory status, which is useful for the development of personalized nutrition and medicine, and disease prevention.Support or Funding Information1This project was made possible by support from the National Dairy Council, Rosemont, IL. and the USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Western Human Nutrition Research Center 2This study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01811329

The Effect Of Maternal Supplementation With A Lipid‐Based Nutrient Supplement On Infant Micronutrient Intake In Guatemalan Women And Infants

BACKGROUNDAccording to the World Health Organization (WHO), infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life. Despite the high adherence to the WHO guidelines in Guatemala, there is a high prevalence of malnutrition during early life, which increases during the first 6 months of age. This suggests that breast milk quality may be suboptimal with regard to provision of micronutrients. Our objective was to evaluate whether maternal supplementation with a lipid based nutrient supplement (LNS) would increase infant micronutrient intake from breast milk.METHODSThe randomly‐allocated, cross‐over design included 30 mother‐infant dyads 4–6 months postpartum in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. In three 8‐hour milk collection visits the participating mother received a single bolus dose of 30 g LNS (B), 10 g of LNS divided over 3 time points (D), or no LNS (C). Mid‐feed milk samples were collected at each infant feed and total milk consumption measured. Maternal blood was collected at baseline, maternal dietary intake was assessed, and maternal and infant anthropometry was measured. The primary outcome was infant B‐complex vitamin intake from breast milk, estimated using micronutrient analyses and infant milk consumption. Analysis of variance and pair‐wise comparisons were used to examine the effect of dosing regimen. Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02464111on).FINDINGSOf 26 dyads completing the study, results for 8 are included in this preliminary data analysis. On average, during 8 hours infants consumed more riboflavin when their mother received LNS (B or D), compared to C (9±6 μg, treatment p=0.012). B increased infant riboflavin intake by 28±21 μg, (p=0.005) whereas D increased intake by 19±14 μg (p=0.018). Neither B nor D increased infant pyridoxal (B 37±29 μg, D 44±36 μg, C 23±10 μg, p=0.328), niacin (B 41±31 μg D 37±30 μg, C 30±17 μg, p= 0.490) or thiamin (B 4±2 μg, D 6±6 μg, C 4±3 μg, p= 0.408) intake compared to no‐supplement. Compared to C, over 8 hours B provided an extra 6%, 0%, 14%, 1% of the Adequate Intake for infants under 6 months for riboflavin, thiamin, pyridoxal, and niacin, respectively, whereas D provided an extra 3%, 1%, 21%, 0%, respectively.INTERPRETATIONMaternal supplementation with LNS as a bolus dose or divided dose increased infant riboflavin intake, with the bolus dose proving more efficacious at increasing infant riboflavin intake from milk. In this initial group of dyads, maternal supplementation with LNS did not significantly impact infant pyridoxal, niacin, or thiamin intake.Support or Funding InformationUC Global Health Initiative, Blum Center for Developing Economies, UC Davis, USDA ARS Western Human Nutrition Research Center.