Subcutaneous fat changes in low-income lactating mothers and growth of breast-fed infants.

OBJECTIVE

We studied changes in body fat of lactating mothers and its relationship to milk fat and growth of exclusively breast-fed infants during the first 3 months of life.

METHOD

Changes in body fat measured by body mass index (BMI) and skinfold thickness (triceps, suprailiac, subscapular, pectoral) of 39 low socioeconomic status women were measured every 15 days during the first 3 months postpartum. Milk fat concentrations and growth of exclusively breast-fed infants were followed at the same intervals. Attained growth (ponderal and linear) of infants was analyzed through multivariate analyses against changes in maternal adiposity (BMI and sum of skinfolds), weight, and milk fat concentrations.

RESULTS

There was a decrease in maternal skinfold thickness from the 15th day postpartum. Milk fat concentrations decreased significantly only at the second month of lactation.

CONCLUSION

Statistical model adjustments for duration of study, milk fat concentration, and birth weight of infants explained 88% of variance in infant growth (r2 = 0.886, p = 0.0001).