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Breast milk levels of zinc and ω‐6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and growth of healthy Chinese infants
Author(s) -
Xiang M,
Harbige LS,
Zetterström R
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2006.00140.x
Subject(s) - polyunsaturated fatty acid , breast milk , medicine , zinc , lactation , arachidonic acid , nutrient , zinc deficiency (plant disorder) , breast feeding , breastfeeding , weight gain , physiology , endocrinology , polyunsaturated fat , fatty acid , zoology , food science , pregnancy , micronutrient , biochemistry , pediatrics , body weight , biology , chemistry , ecology , pathology , enzyme , genetics , organic chemistry
Aim: To examine the concentrations of zinc and ω‐6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω‐6 PUFAs) in breast milk, the impact of zinc on ω‐6 PUFA metabolism, and the growth rate of infants. Methods: Forty‐one mother‐term infant pairs from a rural area of northern Beijing, China, who were 1 month (n = 18, group I) and 3 months (n = 23, group II) old and exclusively breastfed, were studied. The dietary records and the concentrations of zinc and ω‐6 PUFAs in the milk of lactating women and the increase in weight and length of their infants during 1 and 3 postnatal months were analysed. Results: The dietary intakes of mothers in the two groups were the same, i.e. high in carbohydrate and low in fat, protein and energy. The maternal zinc intake was 7.5mg/d and thus reached only 34.6% of the current Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI). The levels of zinc and arachidonic acid (AA, C20:4 ω‐6) in the milk of group I were significantly higher than those in group II. Furthermore, significant positive correlations were found between the concentrations of zinc and AA in the breast milk and between the level of milk AA and weight gain. Conclusion: Zinc may be a co‐factor and essential for essential fatty acids (EFA) metabolism. Thus suboptimal zinc intake may cause EFA imbalance. Further studies of Chinese rural mother‐infant pairs are necessary to determine whether zinc supplementation should be recommended when lactation exceeds 3 months.