Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and body composition of breast-feeding mothers: the potential role of unsaturated fatty acids

Abstract

A paucity of evidence is available regarding the impact of diet's quality during pregnancy and lactation on the body composition of breast-feeding mothers. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the association between maternal degree of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) and body composition measures specifically those relating to body fat, in the lactation period. A cross-sectional study on healthy mothers of full-term babies has been conducted. At 30 ± 10 d after delivery, anthropometric measurements and body composition were assessed. A food frequency questionnaire was performed to compute the Italian Mediterranean Index (IMI) score as an index of adherence to the MD. Data related to pregnancy such as pre-pregnancy weight, gestational weight gain and morbidities were also collected. The 147 mothers included were categorised in IMI-1 (IMI score < 5; n 92) and IMI-2 (IMI score ≥ 5; n 55) groups. IMI-2 mothers showed higher daily energy, total carbohydrates, starch and fibre intakes than IMI-1. The dietary habits of IMI-2 mothers reflect the typical characteristics of MD: they consumed higher quantities of proteins and lipids of vegetal origin, higher amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and lower saturated to PUFAs ratio. The IMI-2 group showed lower absolute fat mass and fat mass index compared to IMI-1 [(20⋅2 ± 5⋅9) v. (22⋅9 ± 8⋅4) kg; P 0⋅036 and (7⋅5 ± 2⋅2) v. (8⋅5 ± 3⋅1) kg/m2; P 0⋅036, respectively], whereas body weight [(61⋅1 ± 8⋅0) v. (63⋅3 ± 9⋅2) kg] and body mass index [(22⋅4 ± 2⋅6) v. (23⋅3 ± 3⋅5) kg/m2] were similar. The degree of adherence to the MD during pregnancy and lactation is positively associated with lower maternal fat deposition in the breast-feeding period. The higher quality of dietary lipids, probably in synergy with the assumption of starchy carbohydrates and fibre, could influence maternal body fat.

Breast Milk MicroRNAs Related to Leptin and Adiponectin Function Can Be Modulated by Maternal Diet and Influence Offspring Phenotype in Rats

“…Concerning the potential impact of higher consumption of OA, it is interesting to mention the results found regarding the Mediterranean diet (MD) intake, given its characteristic contribution of olive oil, unlike other diets. It has been shown that adherence to MD is associated with lower fat mass in breastfeeding mothers [38] and can impact plasma levels of miRNAs related to metabolic syndrome [39]. However, little is known about the influence of this diet on milk bioactive compounds and metabolic programming.…”

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet during Pregnancy: Associations with Sociodemographic and Anthropometric Parameters, Perinatal Outcomes, and Breastfeeding Practices

“…In this aspect, breastfeeding can reduce excess maternal weight gain during pregnancy and can also decrease the mother’s likelihood of developing breast and ovarian cancers, hypertension, and insulin-independent diabetes [ 35 , 36 ]. Another study also revealed that higher adherence to the MD across gestational and breastfeeding periods has been shown to reduce the gain of excess body weight which was obtained during pregnancy, decreasing the risk for mothers of being overweight or obese in the first years following delivery [ 37 ].…”

The effect of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) on fat mass and fat-free mass for breastfeeding mothers (0-24 months) in Makassar City, Indonesia

“…The level of oleic acid, a high MUFA in breast milk, is associated with a higher amount of MUFA intake than other fatty acids, especially those from olive oil. [ 15 17 48 ]…”