Associations between maternal adiposity and appetite-regulating hormones in human milk are mediated through maternal circulating concentrations and might affect infant outcomes.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Appetite-regulating hormones (ARH) in human milk (HM) are suggested to affect infants' milk intake and possibly infant growth. Maternal adiposity might contribute to higher levels of ARH in HM, either from the mammary gland or from raised circulating levels due to higher adiposity. Counterfactual-based mediation analysis can define indirect and direct effects between HM ARH and maternal and infant factors, and might be an important tool when investigating the mother-milk-infant triad.

Objective

We aim to investigate whether potential associations between (1) maternal adiposity and HM ARH and (2) HM ARH and infant milk intake and growth are mediated through maternal and infant plasma ARH, respectively.

Materials and methods

Maternal and infant anthropometry

SUBMITTER: Christensen SH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9673480 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature