DIET ATTITUDES IN THE FATTY ACID AND CHOLESTEROL CONTENT OF HEALTHY MOTHERS MATURE BREAST MILK

M. Moya, E. Cortés, M. Juste.

Pediatric Dept., Hospital Universitario San Juan, Alicante, Spain

Background/Objective: The qualitative importance of some of the breast milk fats is of growing interest¾LCPUFAs and early neurodevelopment or cholesterol imprinting for eventual latter lower LDL plasma figures. Breast milk fats (98% TG) reflect both the nutritional condition and mother's diet. Aim: To assess the content of the linoleic (LA, 18:2n-6), a-linolenic (a-LNA18:3n-3); arachidonic (AA, 20:4n-6) and docosahexaenoic (22:6n-3) acids and cholesterol in mature breastmilk from mothers on a partial mediterranean diet (Med Diet).

Methods: 48 healthy mothers giving normal and term birth at this hospital are interviewed twice with a special questionnaire assessing the usual eating habits over the past year. A sample of mature (>15 days) breast milk is obtained for measuring cholesterol (cholesterol oxidase), total fat (Folch method) and saturated and unsaturated fatty acids (mass spectrometry)

Results: Cholesterol 18:1n-9 18:2n-6 18:3n-3 20:4n-6 22:6n-3

^{mg / dL (m (SD) ) % wt / wt (m (SD) ) _} Med Diet ( n=44) 18.4(10.4) 28.9(5.8) 14.8(3.8) .50(.27) .50(.16) .35(.16)

No M Diet ( n=4 ) 49.9(34.5) 24.7(8.3) 11.2(6.7) .47(.14) .55(.14) .20(.03)

A group of mothers not on mediterranean diet showed differences in the amount of LCPUFAs. Cholesterol levels were higher but with a greater variability. Total fat does not change.

Conclusion: The not fully classic mediterranean diet may alter the LCPs patterns improving LCPUF. As in mature breast-milk. In women on the clearly non mediterranean diet cholesterol content has a higher mean and thus probably deserves further studies.

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