MATERNAL DIET AND FATTY ACID PATTERN OF BREAST MILK

ABSTRACT. The effect of habitual maternal diet on the fatty acid composition of breast milk was evaluated by conducting a dietary survey of lactating mothers and by analyzing their breast milk samples. The mean energy intake of the mothers was 9.8 MJ during the first survey week (20 mothers, 6-8 weeks post partum) and 8.6 MJ during the second survey week (13 mothers, 17-22 weeks post partum). Protein, fat and carbohydrate intake comprised 16%, 39% and 45% of the total energy intake, respectively. The breast milk samples contained 3.8% fat. Half of the fatty acids of the diets and breast milk were saturated (S), and one third were monoenoic. Polyunsaturated (P) fatty acids comprised 15% in the diets and 13% in the breast milk. The average P/S ratio was 0.3 both in the diets and breast milk samples. Carbohydrate intake correlated negatively ( p <0.05) with arachidic acid of breast milk, and both protein and fat intakes correlated positively ( p <0.05) with palmitic acid of breast milk. The maternal diet had no effect on the total fat content of breast milk. A positive correlation was found between the saturated ( p <0.05) and polyunsaturated ( p <0.01) fatty adds of maternal diet and breast milk. As to the single fatty acids, the only significant correlation was found with linoleic acid ( p <0.01). However, the variation of linoleic acid intake explained only about 27% of the variation occurring in the breast milk.