Age-dependent associations of human milk oligosaccharides with body size and composition up to 4 years of age

• DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.02.016
• Publication Date: 2023-02-21T07:21:58Z
• Authors: Toby Mansell; Annalee Furst; Martin O’Hely; Melinda Chang; Anne-Louise Ponsonby; Peter Vuillermin; Mimi LK. Tang; David Burgner; Richard Saffery; Lars Bode
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; 0301 basic medicine; adiposity; anthropometry; Milk, Human; growth; Postpartum Period; 610; Infant; Oligosaccharides; Mothers; secretor; 03 medical and health sciences; Milk; 2’FL; Humans; Body Size; human milk oligosaccharides; Female; Original Research Article; Child; Human

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are major components of human milk that may mediate its beneficial effects on infant growth.To investigate relationships between HMO concentrations in milk at 6 wk postpartum and anthropometry to 4 y of age in human milk-fed infants.Milk samples were collected from 292 mothers at 6 wk (median 6.0 wk; range 3.3, 11.1] postpartum in a longitudinal, population-derived cohort. Of the infants, 171 were exclusively human milk-fed to 3 mo of age and 127 to 6 mo. Concentrations of 19 HMOs were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. Maternal secretor status (n = 221 secretors) was determined from 2'-fucosyllactose (2'FL) concentration. We calculated z-scores for child weight, length, head circumference, summed triceps and subscapular skinfold thicknesses, and weight-for-length at 6 wk, 6 mo, 12 mo, and 4 y. We investigated associations of secretor status and each HMO measure with change from birth for each z-score using linear mixed-effects models.Maternal secretor status was not associated with anthropometric z-scores up to 4 y of age. Several HMOs were associated with z-scores at 6 wk and 6 mo, predominantly within secretor status subgroups. Higher levels of 2'FL were associated with greater weight [β = 0.91 increase in z-score per SD increase log-2'FL, 95% CI (0.17, 1.65)] and length [β = 1.22, (0.25, 2.20)] in children born to secretor mothers, but not body composition measures. Higher lacto-N-tetraose was associated with greater weight [β = 0.22, (0.02, 0.41)] and length (β = 0.30, (0.07, 0.53)] among children born to nonsecretor mothers. Several HMOs were associated with anthropometric measures at 12 mo and 4 y of age.Milk HMO composition at 6 wk postpartum is associated with several anthropometry measures up to 6 mo of age in a potential secretor status-specific manner, with largely different HMOs associating with anthropometry from 12 mo to 4 y of age.