Fatty Acid Composition and Eicosanoid Levels (LTE 4 and PGE 2 ) of Human Milk from Normal Weight and Overweight Mothers.

BACKGROUND: Maternal obesity is known to affect human milk composition. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) are vital nutrients to the nervous system development and precursors of eicosanoids related to obesity (prostaglandin E2 -PGE2 -and leukotriene E4 -LTE4 ). The aim of the present research was to study the lipid profiles, with particular emphasis to LCPUFAs, and the concentrations of eicosanoids PGE2 and LTE4 , involved in adipose tissue development, in human milk from overweight mothers compared with normal weight mothers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study including 46 overweight and 86 normal weight breastfeeding volunteers was carried out. Fatty acids and eicosanoids (PGE2 and LTE4 ) were analyzed in mature human milk. Fatty acids quantification was determined by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. PGE2 and LTE4 were measured by immununoassay.

RESULTS: Human milk of overweight mothers had lower contents of n-3 LCPUFA, including eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3, EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3, DHA) and higher levels of total n-6 LCPUFA, compared with normal weight mothers (0.45 ± 0.23 versus 0.58 ± 0.38, p = 0.016; 0.05 ± 0.04 versus 0.08 ± 0.08, p = 0.005; 0.26 ± 0.15 versus 0.34 ± 0.22, p = 0.015; 0.84 ± 0.25 versus 0.74 ± 0.20, p = 0.029; respectively). Multiple regression analyses showed that maternal overweight was associated with human milk fatty acid profile. The levels of PGE2 and LTE4 in human milk did not show significant differences between groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the hypothesis that mother weight status influences human milk n-3 LCPUFA lipid composition, but not its relationship with PGE2 and LTE4 levels.