The influence of maternal ethnic group and diet on breast milk fatty acid composition.
BACKGROUND
Breast milk fatty acids play a major role in infant development. However, no data have compared the breast milk composition of different ethnic groups living in the same environment. We aimed to (i) investigate breast milk fatty acid composition of three ethnic groups in Singapore and (ii) determine dietary fatty acid patterns in these groups and any association with breast milk fatty acid composition.


METHODS
This was a prospective study conducted at a tertiary hospital in Singapore. Healthy pregnant women with the intention to breastfeed were recruited. Diet profile was studied using a standard validated 3-day food diary. Breast milk was collected from mothers at 1 to 2 weeks and 6 to 8 weeks postnatally. Agilent gas chromatograph (6870N) equipped with a mass spectrometer (5975) and an automatic liquid sampler (ALS) system with a split mode was used for analysis.


RESULTS
Seventy-two breast milk samples were obtained from 52 subjects. Analysis showed that breast milk ETA (Eicosatetraenoic acid) and ETA:EA (Eicosatrienoic acid) ratio were significantly different among the races (P = 0.031 and P = 0.020), with ETA being the highest among Indians and the lowest among Malays. Docosahexaenoic acid was significantly higher among Chinese compared to Indians and Malays. No difference was demonstrated in n3 and n6 levels in the food diet analysis among the 3 ethnic groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Differences exist in breast milk fatty acid composition in different ethnic groups in the same region, although no difference was demonstrated in the diet analysis. Factors other than maternal diet may play a role in breast milk fatty acid composition.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore. obgsll@nus.edu.sg
Lin Lin
LL
Su
Thamarai Chelvi
TC
S K
Su Lin
SL
Lim
Yuming
Y
Chen
Elizabeth A T
EA
Tan
Namratha Narayan
NN
Pai
Yin Han
YH
Gong
Janie
J
Foo
Mary
M
Rauff
Yap Seng
YS
Chong
D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000208:ethnology*; D004032:Diet; D015930:Diet Records; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D005006:Ethnicity; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008296:Malaysia / Q000208:ethnology; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011247:Pregnancy; D039401:Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012846:Singapore; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D005227:Fatty Acids; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid