Global R&D Innovation Center, Inner Mongolia Mengniu Dairy Group Co Ltd, China.
Food Funct. 2024 Oct 28;15(21):10663-10678. doi: 10.1039/d4fo03948c.
Introducing complementary foods is critical for promoting infant health and development. During the weaning period, the dietary patterns provide essential nutrients and facilitate the development of a diverse gut microbiome, which plays significant roles in the regulation of immune, metabolic, and neurological functions. This study enrolled 200 families to assess the impact of complementary feeding on infant growth and health outcomes. Data included detailed records of feeding practices, infant growth measurements, health assessments, and fecal samples and breast milk collected between weeks 12 and 32 postpartum. The gut microbiome was analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing, while metabolites such as human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), monosaccharides, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were measured using chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results revealed a high prevalence of breastfeeding, with complementary food introduced at around 16 weeks. Significant alterations in the infant gut microbiome were observed, particularly in the genera , , and . Additionally, the levels of HMOs, monosaccharides, and SCFAs were found to be influenced by the introduction of complementary foods. Significant correlations emerged between complementary feeding practices, gut microbiome diversity, specific bacterial genera (, , , , and ), and key metabolites (such as lacto--tetraose, lacto--neotetraose, mannose, and butyric acid). This study offers valuable insights into the complex interactions between complementary feeding, gut microbiome development, and metabolite profiles during early infant growth. Future research with larger cohorts and targeted dietary interventions is recommended to further elucidate the underlying mechanisms.
引入辅食对于促进婴儿健康和发育至关重要。在断奶期间，饮食模式提供了必需的营养物质，并促进了多样化的肠道微生物群的发育，而肠道微生物群在调节免疫、代谢和神经系统功能方面发挥着重要作用。本研究纳入了 200 个家庭，以评估补充喂养对婴儿生长和健康结果的影响。数据包括喂养实践的详细记录、婴儿生长测量、健康评估以及在产后 12 至 32 周期间收集的粪便样本和母乳。使用 16S rRNA 测序分析肠道微生物组，同时使用色谱-质谱法测量人乳寡糖 (HMOs)、单糖和短链脂肪酸 (SCFAs) 等代谢物。结果显示母乳喂养的比例很高，大约在 16 周时引入了补充食物。观察到婴儿肠道微生物组发生了显著变化，特别是在属 、 和 中。此外，发现 HMOs、单糖和 SCFAs 的水平受到补充食物引入的影响。补充喂养实践、肠道微生物组多样性、特定细菌属（、、、和 ）和关键代谢物（如乳四糖、乳新四糖、甘露糖和丁酸）之间出现了显著相关性。本研究提供了有关补充喂养、肠道微生物群发育和早期婴儿生长过程中代谢物谱之间复杂相互作用的有价值的见解。建议未来进行更大规模队列的研究和有针对性的饮食干预，以进一步阐明潜在机制。
