Non-nutritive bioactive components in maternal milk and offspring development: a scoping review

Abstract

Lactation is a critical time in mammalian development, where maternal factors shape offspring outcomes. In this scoping review, we discuss current literature concerning maternal factors that influence lactation biology and highlight important associations between changes in milk composition and offspring outcomes. Specifically, we explore maternal nutritional, psychosocial, and environmental exposures that influence non-nutritive bioactive components in milk and their links to offspring growth, development, metabolic, and behavioral outcomes. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Predetermined eligibility criteria were used to analyze 3,275 papers, and the final review included 40 primary research articles. Outcomes of this review identify maternal obesity to be a leading maternal factor influencing the non-nutritive bioactive composition of milk with notable links to offspring outcomes. Offspring growth and development are the most common modes of programming associated with changes in non-nutritive milk composition due to maternal factors in early life. In addition to discussing studies investigating these key associations, we also identify knowledge gaps in the current literature and suggest opportunities and considerations for future studies.

Infant feeding—a scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023

“…When feeding breastmilk is not an option, parents should be given guidance to feed commercial infant formula to their infants. The macronutrient content (as percentage of energy, E%) of mature breastmilk from the individual woman is relatively stable for as long as breastfeeding continues, but the content of vitamins and minerals is influenced by the mother's diet, and the fat composition varies depending on the mother's diet and weight status (35)(36)(37). For example, the levels of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids are highly dependent on the mother's intake of seafood, linoleic and linolenic acids, and dietary supplements (35,36).…”

Residential green environments are associated with human milk oligosaccharide diversity and composition

“…Maternal milk is the ideal nutrition for term, healthy infants and the benefits of breastfeeding on child short-and long-term health are numerous 14,15 . Human milk has evolved to promote survival and healthy development of the infant both through its nutritional composition 16 and with non-nutritive bioactive factors such as hormones 16,17 , growth factors 16,17 , antibodies 17,18 and human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs 19,20 ). These compounds are also likely to act as chemical messengers informing the infant about maternal and environmental conditions.…”

“…in the milk samples varied from 8103 to 20,512 nmol/ml (median (Q1, Q3): 16,183 (15,276,17,068)). The concentrations for each separate HMO component in secretor vs. non-secretor mothers in the cohort have been already reported elsewhere 40 as well as comparison of mothers and infants from this HMO subgroup to the original STEPS Study cohort 40 .…”

Maternal dietary fat during lactation shapes single nucleus transcriptomic profile of postnatal offspring hypothalamus in a sexually dimorphic manner in mice

“…The impact of maternal diet exposure may interact with overnutrition in later life to exacerbate offspring adiposity. Previous studies 9 , 10 demonstrated that lactation is an important period for maternal effects since during lactation offspring rely solely on the mother’s milk for their nutrition and growth. In both human and animals, maternal overnutrition during pregnancy and/or lactation predisposes offspring to obesity, and increases the risk of metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and hypertension in offspring 6 , 8 , 11 – 18 .…”