The impact of maternal obesity and breast milk inflammation on developmental programming of infant growth

Background Little is known about how maternal obesity impacts breast milk (BM) composition and how BM composition may impact growth. We sought to determine the role of maternal body mass index (BMI) on BM inflammatory and oxidative stress markers and to delineate the role of these BM markers on infant growth. Methods This was a secondary analysis of 40 mother-infant dyads. We first assessed the association between maternal BMI and BM marker (omega-6:omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio (n-6:n-3 PUFA), leptin, interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6, IL-1 beta and malondialdehyde (MDA)) concentration at one (V1) and four (V4) months postpartum. We then examined the association between BM markers on infant growth trajectory from birth to seven months. Results Higher maternal BMI was associated with higher BM n-6:n-3 PUFA (V1 beta = 0.12, 95% CI 0.01, 0.2; V4 beta = 0.13, 95% CI 0.01, 0.3) and leptin (V1 beta = 107, 95% CI 29, 184; V4 beta = 254, 95% CI 105, 403) concentrations. Infants exposed to high BM n-6:n-3 PUFA had higher BMIz-scores over time (p = 0.01). Higher BM leptin was associated with lower infant percent fat mass at V4 (beta = -9, 95% CI -17, -0.6). Infants exposed to high BM IL-8, IL-6, or IL-1 beta had higher weightz-scores over time (IL-8p < 0.001; IL-6p < 0.001; IL-1 beta p = 0.02). There was no association between BM MDA and maternal BMI or infant growth. Conclusions Higher maternal BMI is associated with higher BM n-6:n-3 PUFA and leptin concentrations. In addition, higher BM n-6:n-3 PUFA and inflammatory cytokines were associated with accelerated weight gain in infancy.

Automated summary

The study found that higher maternal BMI was associated with higher levels of n-6:n-3 PUFA and leptin in breast milk, and infants exposed to high n-6:n-3 PUFA had higher BMI z-scores. In addition, higher levels of inflammatory cytokines in breast milk were associated with accelerated weight gain in infants.