Exploring the associations of maternal red blood cell fatty acids, infant body composition, and quality of infant growth

Abstract

Background: Rates of childhood overweight and obesity have increased and are related to earlier development of chronic health diseases. Maternal fat consumption influences fetal adipose tissue development and may program future levels of adiposity. Research has shown relationships between maternal levels of omega&ndash3 (n&ndash3) and omega&ndash6 (n&ndash6) fatty acids and infant body weight. Vaccenic acid is a natural trans fatty acid shown to have health benefits in both immune function and body composition. No studies have related maternal fatty acids and infant body composition (percentage body fat (%fat), fat mass (FM), and fat free mass (FFM)) at birth and during early infancy. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between maternal fatty acids, with emphasis on vaccenic acid, and infant body composition at birth and during early infancy. Methods: Seventy four mother-infant pairs were included in this analysis. Mothers meeting the criteria of a singleton pregnancy, healthy, BMI 18.5 &mdash 40 kg/m2, completed a blood draw late in pregnancy, and with infants who completed a birth and/or 3&ndash4 month visit to assess body composition were included. Maternal red blood cell (RBC) fatty acids were measured by adsorption chromatography and transmethylation techniques. Infant body composition was measured by air displacement plethysmography. Correlation matrices assessed the relationship between maternal fatty acids and infant body composition at birth and the change in body composition during early infancy. Multiple linear regression assessed the relationship between maternal vaccenic acid values and infant body composition at birth and change in body composition in early infancy. Significance was determined at a level of p < 0.05. Results: Average maternal age was 29.43 ± 4.81 years; pre&ndashpregnancy BMI was 25.49 ± 5.44 kg/m2; average gestational weight gain was 16.07 ± 6.14 kg. Average infant gestational age was 39.61 ± 0.82 weeks; average birth weight was 3.503.47 ± 420.22 g. Arachidonic acid was negatively related to infant FFM while heneicosanoic acid was positively related to infant FM at birth. Vaccenic acid was negatively related to all measures of change in infant body composition at 3&ndash4 months. Linolelaidic acid was negatively related to change in infant FFM, while linoleic and eicosapentaenoic acids were positively related to change in FFM. Heneicosanoic acid was negatively related to changes in %fat and FM. Multiple linear regression showed that vaccenic acid negatively predicted changes in infant FM and FFM. Conclusion: Relationships exist between late-pregnancy maternal RBC fatty acids and infant body composition at birth and change at 3&ndash4 months. Vaccenic acid predicted decreased changes in FM and FFM at 3&ndash4 months. Future research is needed to better define these relationships.