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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Little Rock, Arkansas » Microbiome and Metabolism Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #218380
Title: Bone mineralization and vitamin D/calcium daily intake of infants fed breast-milk, milk-based formula or soy-based formula

Author
item ANDRES, ALINE - ACNC/UAMS
item SMITH, STACEE - ACNC/ACH
item BADGER, THOMAS - ACNC/UAMS
item GILCHRIST, JANET - ACNC/UAMS

Submitted to: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/29/2008
Publication Date: 4/9/2008
Citation: Andres, A., Smith, S., Badger, T.M., Gilchrist, J.M. 2008. Bone mineralization and vitamin D/calcium daily intake of infants fed breast-milk, milk-based formula or soy-based formula [abstract]. The FASEB Journal. 22:446.5.

Interpretive Summary: A study of bone health status was conducted in infants between 3 and 12 months of age. This study included 107 participants who were exclusively fed breast-milk (BF), milk-based formula (MF), or soy-based formula (SF) for at least the first 4 months of life. Bone health, vitamin D and calcium intake were assessed at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months-of-age. At 3 and 6 months-of-age, bone mineralization was significantly lower in SF infants compared to BF and MF infants. At 9 and 12 months-of-age, MF infants had higher bone mineralization compared to BF and SF infants (p<0.05), whereas BF and SF infants were similar. Over time, bone mineralization increased in each group but at a higher rate for SF infants. These results suggest that although SF infants had a lower initial bone mineralization, their rate of bone growth was faster than in BF infants. Vitamin D and calcium daily intake were significantly lower for BF infants compared with MF and SF infants at all ages. There was no difference in vitamin D and calcium daily intake between MF and SF infants except for calcium intake at 3 months. Further work is needed to understand the characteristics of bone mineralization in each feeding group.

Technical Abstract: A cross-sectional analysis of bone mineralization during the first year of life of infants (N=107) exclusively fed breast-milk (BF), milk-based formula (MF), or soy-based formula (SF) for at least the first 4 months of life was conducted. Participants were part of the longitudinal Beginnings study. Bone mineral content (BMC) was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months-of-age. Vitamin D and calcium intake were also assessed. At 3 and 6 months, BMC/mass ratio was significantly lower for SF compared to BF and MF groups. At 9 and 12 months, MF had higher BMC/mass ratio compared to BF and SF infants (p<0.05), but BF and SF were similar. BMC significantly increased in each feeding group over time but at a higher rate for SF (30% vs. 21% and 27% for BF and MF, respectively). These results suggest that although SF infants had a lower initial BMC, their rate of bone growth was faster than in BF infants. Vitamin D and calcium intake were significantly lower in BF compared with MF and SF at all time points. There was no difference in vitamin D and calcium intake between MF and SF infants except for calcium intake at 3 months. Further work is needed to delineate the characteristics of bone mineralization in each feeding group relative to their serum vitamin D concentration and calcium deposition.