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Dietary Lipids in Infants

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A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Lipids".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 March 2023) | Viewed by 11716

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Dr. Anders Nilsson

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Guest Editor

Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
Interests: lipid metabolism; lipid signaling; long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids; preterm infants
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Dear Colleagues,

Dietary lipids are the primary source of energy for infants during the first months of life. However, beyond covering caloric demands, lipids provide a wealth of bioactive molecules that modulate growth and development; lipid quality thus impacts long-term health. For healthy infants born at full term, lipids are provided via human milk or formula, whereas in critically ill neonates, including very low birth weight infants, intravenous lipid emulsions may also be needed. The human milk lipidome is diverse and complex, encompassing dozens of lipid classes and hundreds of lipid species with known or unknown functions in infant health. In comparison, intravenous lipid emulsions provide a relatively simple lipid blend, and the optimal lipid composition to promote normal infant development is yet to be determined. Among the prominent examples of lipids with crucial roles in infant maturation are the essential long-chain polyunsaturated (LCPUFA) omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. In addition, recent evidence indicates that dietary lipids such as sphingolipids and specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators can contribute to normal infant development.

The present Special Issue of Nutrients aims to improve our understanding of the composition of infant dietary lipids, lipid bioavailability, infant metabolism of dietary lipids, and impacts of dietary lipids on short- and long-term outcomes.

Dr. Anders Nilsson
Guest Editor

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Keywords

complex lipids
enteral nutrition
fatty acids
human milk
infant formula
parenteral nutrition
preterm infant

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 1563 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lipid Peroxidation and Antioxidative Capacity Are Unaltered in Transitional Breast Milk Exposed to Light from Women Giving Birth to Preterm Infants before 32 Weeks of Gestation

by Moa Norrgrann, Malin Hörnfeldt, Faiza Latheef, Ylva Thernström Blomqvist, Anders Larsson, Mattias Paulsson and Barbro Diderholm

Nutrients 2023, 15(12), 2818; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15122818 - 20 Jun 2023

Viewed by 1383

Abstract

Breast milk (BM) is the primary nutrition for infants and has a high content of lipids. Preterm infants receive expressed BM via tube feeding, and they are frequently treated with phototherapy. When parenteral nutrition (PN) is exposed to light and/or phototherapy, lipid peroxidation (LPO) increases. By light-protecting PN, morbidity and mortality are reduced in preterm infants through the reduction of oxidative stress. We aimed to investigate whether light-protecting breast milk could reduce LPO. Twelve mothers giving birth to a preterm infants of less than 32 weeks of gestational age were included. Transitional BM was collected and divided into three study groups; light-protected, ward light and phototherapy light. Baseline samples were collected after expression and the exposures started within one hour. Feeding syringe samples were exposed to light for 30 up to 360 min. Nasogastric tube samples were run through a tube under the same light conditions. Samples were stored in −80 °C until analyses of malondialdehyde (MDA), 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). There were no significant differences in MDA, 4-HNE or TAC levels observed between the different study groups. This study indicates that the light exposure of expressed transitional BM does not affect LPO and the levels of MDA, 4-HNE or TAC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Lipids in Infants)

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13 pages, 1377 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Weekly Proactive Telephone Breastfeeding Standard Care by Lactation Consultants in the First Month Postpartum Prolongs Breastfeeding for Up to 6 Months

by Wei Qi Fan, Christopher Chan, Susan Paterson, Kathryn Foster, Michelle Morrow, Debra Bourne and Jodie Ashworth

Nutrients 2023, 15(9), 2075; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15092075 - 25 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1464

Abstract

Many mothers, especially those with co-morbidities, do not achieve exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first 6 months, with the loss of multiple health benefits including enhanced infant nutrition. We wished to evaluate whether proactive lactation consultant telephone advice in the first month postpartum improved breastfeeding rates for up to 6 months. A prospective cohort observational study was performed. Mother groupings included the following: Control (CG, n = 379)—standard postnatal care; Exposure (EG, n = 386)—standard postnatal care delivered by lactation consultant telephone contact for the first 3 weeks postpartum and then follow-up calls at 1, 3 and 6 months postpartum to ascertain breastfeeding status. Sore nipples (24%) and fussy/unsettled behaviour (14–19%) were common EG concerns. EG EBF rates were higher at 1 month (65% vs. 53%; p < 0.001), 3 months (57% vs. 49%; p = 0.041) and 6 months (45 vs. 33%; p < 0.001). EG EBF rates across the 6 months were higher for infants admitted to the NNU (52.9% vs. 37.5%, p = 0.003), obese mothers (58.3% vs. 37.2%, p < 0.001), mothers with depression (60.8% vs. 43.4%, p = 0.036) and all birth modes. Proactive early lactation advice significantly prolongs EBF and consequently enhances infant nutrition overall, including for mothers at risk of early breastfeeding cessation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Lipids in Infants)

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18 pages, 575 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Fatty Acid Content in the Milk of Women from the West Pomeranian Region of Poland with Regard to Supplementation and the Amount of Adipose Tissue

by Dorota Ćwiek, Małgorzata Zimny, Katarzyna Szymoniak, Krystyna Czechowska and Olimpia Sipak-Szmigiel

Nutrients 2023, 15(5), 1110; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15051110 - 23 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1610

Abstract

The total amount of fat in the milk of nursing mothers depends on maternal reserves, as well as food intake and its synthesis in the mammary glands. The aim of this study was to assess the contents of fatty acids in the milk of women from the West Pomeranian region of Poland with regards to supplementation and the amount of adipose tissue. We also wanted to find out whether these women, who have direct access to the sea and potential access to fresh marine fish, have higher levels of DHA. Methods: We analyzed milk samples obtained 6–7 weeks postpartum from 60 women. The content of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) in lipids was determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS) using a Clarus 600 device (PerkinElmer). Results: Women using dietary supplements had significantly higher levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (C22:6 n-3) (p = 0.000) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (20:5 n-3) (p = 0.000). The levels of eicosatrienoic acid (ETA) (C20:3 n-3) and γ-linolenic acid (GLA) increased with the amount of body fat, and the level of DHA was lowest in subjects where body fat exceeded 40% (p = 0.036). Conclusions: The contents of fatty acids in the milk of women from the West Pomeranian region of Poland were similar to that reported by other authors. The levels of DHA in women using dietary supplements was also comparable to the values reported worldwide. BMI had an effect on the levels of ETE and GLA acids. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Lipids in Infants)

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12 pages, 1163 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Milk Formula Enriched with Sodium Butyrate Influences Small Intestine Contractility in Neonatal Pigs

by Monika Słupecka-Ziemilska, Stefan Grzegorz Pierzynowski, Paulina Szczurek, Kateryna Pierzynowska, Piotr Wychowański, Blanka Seklecka, Maciej Koperski, Anna Starzyńska, Dominika Szkopek, Janine Donaldson, Krzysztof Andrzejewski and Jarosław Woliński

Nutrients 2022, 14(20), 4301; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14204301 - 14 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1909

Abstract

Butyrate, a by-product of gut bacteria fermentation as well as the digestion of fat in mother’s milk, exerts a wide spectrum of beneficial effects in the gastrointestinal tissues. The present study aimed to determine the effects of sodium butyrate on small intestine contractility in neonatal piglets. Piglets were fed milk formula alone (group C) or milk formula supplemented with sodium butyrate (group B). After a 7-day treatment period, isometric recordings of whole-thickness segments of the duodenum and middle jejunum were obtained by electric field stimulation under the influence of increasing doses of Ach (acetylocholine) in the presence of TTX (tetrodotoxin) and atropine. Moreover, structural properties of the intestinal wall were assessed, together with the expression of cholinergic and muscarinic receptors (M1 and M2). In both intestinal segments (duodenum and middle jejunum), EFS (electric field stimulation) impulses resulted in increased contractility and amplitude of contractions in group B compared to group C. Additionally, exposure to dietary butyrate led to a significant increase in tunica muscularis thickness in the duodenum, while mitotic and apoptotic indices were increased in the middle jejunum. The expression of M1 and M2 receptors in the middle jejunum was significantly higher after butyrate treatment. The results indicate increased cholinergic signaling and small intestinal growth and renewal in response to feeding with milk formula enriched with sodium butyrate in neonatal piglets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Lipids in Infants)

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14 pages, 2026 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Infant Red Blood Cell Arachidonic to Docosahexaenoic Acid Ratio Inversely Associates with Fat-Free Mass Independent of Breastfeeding Exclusivity

by Bridget E. Young, Gertrude Kyere-Davies, Jacob W. Farriester, Rohan Varshney, Paul S. MacLean, Nancy F. Krebs and Michael C. Rudolph

Nutrients 2022, 14(20), 4238; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14204238 - 11 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1597

Abstract

The prevalence of childhood obesity has increased nearly ten times over the last 40 years, influenced by early life nutrients that have persistent effects on life-long metabolism. During the first six months, infants undergo accelerated adipose accumulation, but little is known regarding infant fatty acid status and its relationship to infant body composition. We tested the hypothesis that a low arachidonic to docosahexaenoic acid ratio (AA/DHA) in infant red blood cells (RBCs), a long-term indicator of fatty acid intake, would associate with more infant fat-free mass (FFM) and/or less adipose accumulation over the first 4 months of life. The fatty acid and composition of breastmilk and infant RBCs, as well as the phospholipid composition of infant RBCs, were quantified using targeted and unbiased lipid mass spectrometry from infants predominantly breastfed or predominantly formula-fed. Regardless of feeding type, FFM accumulation was inversely associated with the infant’s RBC AA/DHA ratio (p = 0.029, R² = 0.216). Infants in the lowest AA/DHA ratio tertile had significantly greater FFM when controlling for infant sex, adiposity at 2 weeks, and feeding type (p < 0.0001). Infant RBC phospholipid analyses revealed greater peroxisome-derived ether lipids in the low AA/DHA group, primarily within the phosphatidylethanolamines. Our findings support a role for a low AA/DHA ratio in promoting FFM accrual and identify peroxisomal activity as a target of DHA in the growing infant. Both FFM abundance and peroxisomal activity may be important determinants of infant metabolism during development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Lipids in Infants)

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20 pages, 6607 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Omega-3/Omega-6 Long-Chain Fatty Acid Imbalance in Phase I Retinopathy of Prematurity

by Zhongjie Fu, Wenjun Yan, Chuck T. Chen, Anders K. Nilsson, Edward Bull, William Allen, Jay Yang, Minji Ko, John Paul SanGiovanni, James D. Akula, Saswata Talukdar, Ann Hellström and Lois E. H. Smith

Nutrients 2022, 14(7), 1333; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14071333 - 23 Mar 2022

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2881

Abstract

There is a gap in understanding the effect of the essential ω-3 and ω-6 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) on Phase I retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), which precipitates proliferative ROP. Postnatal hyperglycemia contributes to Phase I ROP by delaying retinal vascularization. In mouse neonates with hyperglycemia-associated Phase I retinopathy, dietary ω-3 (vs. ω-6 LCPUFA) supplementation promoted retinal vessel development. However, ω-6 (vs. ω-3 LCPUFA) was also developmentally essential, promoting neuronal growth and metabolism as suggested by a strong metabolic shift in almost all types of retinal neuronal and glial cells identified with single-cell transcriptomics. Loss of adiponectin (APN) in mice (mimicking the low APN levels in Phase I ROP) decreased LCPUFA levels (including ω-3 and ω-6) in retinas under normoglycemic and hyperglycemic conditions. ω-3 (vs. ω-6) LCPUFA activated the APN pathway by increasing the circulating APN levels and inducing expression of the retinal APN receptor. Our findings suggested that both ω-3 and ω-6 LCPUFA are crucial in protecting against retinal neurovascular dysfunction in a Phase I ROP model; adequate ω-6 LCPUFA levels must be maintained in addition to ω-3 supplementation to prevent retinopathy. Activation of the APN pathway may further enhance the ω-3 and ω-6 LCPUFA’s protection against ROP. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Lipids in Infants)

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