Is There a Relationship between Macronutrient Content of Breast Milk and Maternal Obesity: A Preliminary Study

Introduction: The obesity is a common health problem and programmed starting from the fetal life. It is known that maternal obesity may cause a predisposition to obesity development and breast milk contains a number of complex molecules that regulate the baby`s appetite and growth. We aimed to investigate the macronutrient content in breast milk of obese moms in the neonatal period to explain a mechanism for developing obesity.

Patients and Methods: Thirty-six maternal-neonatal pairs were included in this prospective and cross-sectional study at our University Hospital. Mothers were selected according to the pregnancy body mass index and classified as either normal or obese. Breast milk samples were collected at postpartum day 7 and kept at -20°C refrigerator before the analysis. Breast milk macronutrient contents were then analysed with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIRS) method. Demographic characteristics and anthropometric measurements were also obtained.

Results: In FTIRS analysis, although the lipid band of obese mothers’ milk was found to be more elevated, the difference was not statistically significant between two groups (p 0.05). Nevertheless the carbohydrate and protein content were not statistically different in comparison with the control group. There was no statistical difference between obese and control groups in terms of demographic characteristics and anthropometric measurements.

Conclusion: This preliminary study shows that the macronutrient content of mother`s milk is not different in comparison with the obese and non-obese mothers in the first month of life. Therefore we think that the macronutrient content of breast milk is not likely to play a role in the programming of obesity in the neonatal period. Further investigations may focus on the role of breast milk feeding in later periods in developing obesity.