Human milk oligosaccharide concentrations and infant intakes are associated with maternal overweight and obesity and predict infant growth

Authors: SABEN, JESSICA - University Of California, San Diego; SIMS, CLARK - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); ABRAHAM, ANN - University Arkansas For Medical Sciences (UAMS); BODE, LARS - University Arkansas For Medical Sciences (UAMS); ANDRES, ALINE - University Arkansas For Medical Sciences (UAMS)

Submitted to: Nutrients
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/27/2021
Publication Date: 1/29/2021
Citation: Saben, J.L., Sims, C.R., Abraham, A., Bode, L., Andres, A. 2021. Human milk oligosaccharide concentrations and infant intakes are associated with maternal overweight and obesity and predict infant growth. Nutrients. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13020446.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13020446

Interpretive Summary: Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are bioactive molecules that play a critical role in infant health. We assessed the composition of HMOs of women with normal weight (BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2), overweight (BMI between 25.0 and 29.9 kg/m2), or obesity (BMI between 30.0 and 60.0 kg/m2) and determined the effect of HMO intake on infant growth. Human milk (HM) samples collected at 2 months (2M; n=194) postpartum were analyzed for HMO concentrations via high-performance liquid chromatography. Infant HM intake, body measurements and body composition were assessed at 2M and 6M of age. Linear regressions and linear mixed effect models were used to examine the relationships between maternal BMI and HMO composition and HMO intake and infant growth over the first 6Ms, respectively. Maternal obesity was associated with lower concentrations of several fucosylated and sialylated HMOs and infants born to women with obesity had lower intakes of these HMOs. Maternal BMI was positively associated with lacto-N-neotetraose, 3-fucosyllactose, 3-sialyllactose and 6-sialyllactose and negatively associated with disialyllacto-N-tetraose, disialyllacto-N-hexaose, fucodisialyllacto-N-hexaose and total acidic HMOs concentrations at 2M. Infant intakes of 3-fucosyllactose, 3-sialyllactose, 6-sialyllactose, disialyllacto-N-tetraose, disialyllacto-N-hexaose, and total acidic HMOs were positively associated with infant growth over the first 6M of life. Maternal obesity is associated with changes in HMO concentrations that are associated with infant body composition.

Technical Abstract: Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are bioactive molecules playing a critical role in infant health. We aimed to quantify the composition of HMOs of women with normal weight (18.5–24.9 kg/m2), overweight (25.0–29.9 kg/m2), or obesity (30.0–60.0 kg/m2) and determine the effect of HMO intake on infant growth. Human milk (HM) samples collected at 2 months (2M; n=194) postpartum were analyzed for HMO concentrations via high-performance liquid chromatography. Infant HM intake, anthropometrics and body composition were assessed at 2M and 6M postpartum. Linear regressions and linear mixed effect models were conducted examining the relationships between maternal BMI and HMO composition and HMO intake and infant growth over the first 6Ms, respectively. Maternal obesity was associated with lower concentrations of several fucosylated and sialylated HMOs and infants born to women with obesity had lower intakes of these HMOs. Maternal BMI was positively associated with lacto-N-neotetraose, 3-fucosyllactose, 3-sialyllactose and 6-sialyllactose and negatively associated with disialyllacto-N-tetraose, disialyllacto-N-hexaose, fucodisialyllacto-N-hexaose and total acidic HMOs concentrations at 2M. Infant intakes of 3-fucosyllactose, 3-sialyllactose, 6-sialyllactose, disialyllacto-N-tetraose, disialyllacto-N-hexaose, and total acidic HMOs were positively associated with infant growth over the first 6M of life. Maternal obesity is associated with changes in HMO concentrations that are associated with infant adiposity.