Relationships between Breastfeeding Patterns and Maternal and Infant Body Composition over the First 12 Months of Lactation

• Main Authors: Zoya Gridneva, Alethea Rea, Anna R. Hepworth, Leigh C. Ward, Ching T. Lai, Peter E. Hartmann, Donna T. Geddes
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-01-01
• Series: Nutrients
• Subjects: human milk; breastfed infants; body composition; anthropometrics; milk intake; bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy; ultrasound skinfolds; maternal factors
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/1/45

Breastfeeding has been implicated in the establishment of infant appetite regulation, feeding patterns and body composition (BC). A holistic approach is required to elucidate relationships between infant and maternal BC and contributing factors, such as breastfeeding parameters. Associations between maternal and breastfed term infant BC (n = 20) and feeding parameters during first 12 months of lactation were investigated. BC was measured at 2, 5, 9 and/or 12 months postpartum with ultrasound skinfolds (US; infants only) and bioimpedance spectroscopy (infants and mothers). 24-h milk intake (MI) and feeding frequency (FFQ) were measured. Higher FFQ was associated with larger 24-h MI (p ≤ 0.003). Higher 24-h MI was associated with larger infant fat mass (FM) (US: p ≤ 0.002), greater percentage FM (US: p ≤ 0.008), greater FM index (FMI) (US: p ≤ 0.001) and lower fat-free mass index (FFMI) (US: p = 0.015). Lower FFQ was associated with both larger FFM (US: p ≤ 0.001) and FFMI (US: p < 0.001). Greater maternal adiposity was associated with smaller infant FFM measured with US (BMI: p < 0.010; %FM: p = 0.004; FMI: p < 0.011). Maternal BC was not associated with FFQ or 24-h MI. These results reinforce that early life is a critical window for infant programming and that breastfeeding may influence risk of later disease via modulation of BC.