Impact of diet and body composition on donor human milk: a cross-sectional pilot study

Sara Lopes da Silva, Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
Beatriz Teixeira, Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação, Universidade do Porto; EPIUnit – Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto; Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Porto, Portugal
Susana Pissarra, Department of Neonatology, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário São João, Porto, Portuga
Susana Fraga, Departamento de Farmácia, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, Porto, Portugal
Rita Moita, Unidade de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatais, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, Porto, Portugal
Henrique Soares, Unidade de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatais, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João; Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto; Porto, Portugal
Cristina Martins, Serviço de Obstetrícia e Ginecologia, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, Porto, Portugal
Cláudia Camila Dias, Knowledge Management Unit and Department of Community Medicine, Information and Health Decision Sciences (MEDCIDS); Center for Health Technology and Services Research – CINTESIS;
Diana e Silva, Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação, Universidade do Porto; Center for Health Technology and Services Research – CINTESIS; Unidade de Nutrição pediátrica, Centro Materno Infantil, Centro Hospitalar Universitário São João. Porto, Portugal

Introduction and Objectives: Donor human milk is recommended in Neonatal Intensive Care Units when maternal breast milk is unavailable. This study aimed to explore the association between the eating habits, body mass index, and body composition of human milk donors with the nutritional composition of their donor milk. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study involved 65 human milk donors. Sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical data were collected by questionnaires administered through interviews. Height, weight, and fat mass were measured and body mass index was calculated. Eating habits were assessed using a Food Frequency Questionnaire. Donor human milk samples were analyzed before and after pasteurization using the Miris Human Milk Analyzer™. Results: Thirty-three (50.8%) human milk donors were overweight, with a median fat mass of 33.2%. No significant associations were found between body mass index or fat mass and the nutritional composition of donated milk. However, infants’ gestational age showed a positive correlation with the protein content after the donated milk had been pasteurized. The energy of donor human milk before pasteurization was positively associated with carbohydrate intake (r = 0.272, p = 0.029). The consumption of carbohydrate sources was positively correlated with the energy of donor human milk before (r = 0.271, p = 0.029) and after pasteurization (r = 0.248, p = 0.046). Potato intake showed a positive correlation with fat content in donor human milk before (r = 0.474, p < 0.001) and after the milk had been pasteurized (r = 0.443, p < 0.001). Discussion: These results highlight the importance of monitoring human milk donors’ nutrition to optimize their nutritional status and donated milk composition.

Keywords: Body mass index. Donor human milk. Eating habits. Human milk donors. Nutritional composition.