Nature and effects of breastfeeding on health of mothers and babies

Jun 11 2018

Guidelines recommend breastfeeding as the best source of nutrition for most babies. The Nutrition 2018 meeting will feature new research findings on the nature of breast milk and how breastfeeding may affect the health of both moms and babies.

Nutrition 2018 is the inaugural flagship meeting of the American Society for Nutrition held June 9-12, 2018 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. Contact the media team for abstracts, images and interviews, or to obtain a free press pass to attend the meeting.

Findings point to short and long-term benefits for mother and baby

Breastfeeding may help reduce mom's risk of type 2 diabetes after gestational diabetes

A study of 4,400 women followed for more than 20 years suggests breastfeeding for a longer period of time could help women diagnosed with gestational diabetes during pregnancy lower their risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Women with gestational diabetes who lactated for more than one year total (for all children combined) reduced their risk of type 2 diabetes by about 30 percent compared to those who did not breastfeed at all. The research suggests the long-term beneficial impact of lactation may persist across the lifespan of aging women. Sylvia Ley, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, will present this research on Tuesday, June 12, from 9:15-9:30 a.m. in the Hynes Convention Center, Room 210 (abstract).

Breastfeeding appears protective against metabolic syndrome in teen years

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that raise the risk of heart disease and diabetes. A study of overweight and obese Hispanic teens with a family history of type 2 diabetes found that those who were breastfed for at least one month as babies were substantially less likely to have metabolic syndrome in their teen years compared to those who were not breastfed. This protective benefit of breastfeeding was seen among those born to mothers with and without gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Sarvenaz Vandyousefi, University of Texas at Austin, will present this research on Tuesday, June 12, from 9:30-9:45 a.m. in the Hynes Convention Center, Room 210 (abstract).

Breastfeeding appears protective against overweight in babies who gain weight rapidly

Gaining weight rapidly during early life puts infants at increased risk for obesity later on. In a new study, babies who gained weight rapidly in the first four months of life were significantly more likely to be classified as overweight by one year of age if they were exclusively formula fed rather than breastfed for 11 months or longer. Jillian Trabulsi, University of Delaware, will present this research on Tuesday, June 12, from 9:45-10:00 a.m. in the Hynes Convention Center, Room 210 (abstract).

B. infantis probiotic boosts benefits of breastfeeding in developed countries

Although breastfeeding is known to support a healthy gut microbiome in infants, babies in developed countries do not reap the same benefits as those in developing countries. A new study conducted in collaboration by the University of California, Davis and Evolve BioSystems finds supplementing breastfed infants in developed countries with the probiotic B. infantis ECV001 improves their gut microbiome health, as long as they continue to breastfeed. Bethany Henrick, University of California, Davis, will present this research on Saturday, June 9, from 1-1:15 p.m. in the Hynes Convention Center, Room 311 (abstract).

New insights into the composition of breast milk

Evidence that a woman's weight influences what's in her breastmilk

Preliminary findings from a new study reveal that breast milk of obese women has higher levels of total fat, the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein, and hormones including leptin and insulin compared to breast milk of normal-weight women during the first six months postpartum. The implications of these differences for infant growth and development are yet unknown. Clark Sims, Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center/University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, will present this research on Sunday, June 10, from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. in the Hynes Convention Center, Exhibit Hall D (poster 377) (abstract).

A breastfeeding mom's diet may influence her baby's intestinal microbiome

The fat, carbohydrate, protein and calorie contents of a breastfeeding mom's diet have been found to be associated with the kinds of bacteria found in her baby's stool. This study, the first of its kind relating a mother's diet to her infant's microbiome, sheds new light on how the intestinal microbiome is shaped during the first months of life. Janet E. Williams, University of Idaho, will present this research on Monday, June 11, from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Hynes Convention Center Auditorium (poster 250) (abstract).

Drinking sweetened beverages causes fructose spike in breastmilk

Researchers report the concentration of fructose in breastmilk rose and remained high for up to 5 hours after lactating women consumed a 20-ounce bottle of soda containing 65 grams of sugar (in the form of high-fructose corn syrup). Fructose levels in breastmilk were unaffected by drinking an artificially-sweetened beverage containing zero grams of sugar. Paige K. Berger, University of Southern California, will present this research on Tuesday, June 12, from 9-9:15 a.m. in the Hynes Convention Center, Room 210 (abstract).