Doctoral CRP on Stable Isotope Techniques to Assess Intake of Human Milk and Body Composition of Infants and Young Children up to Two Years of Age

Closed for proposals

Project Type

Coordinated Research Project

Project Code

E43026

CRP

1768

Approved Date

27 April 2011

Status

Closed

Start Date

20 September 2011

Expected End Date

19 September 2017

Completed Date

13 November 2017

Description

Exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, followed by the introduction of appropriate complementary foods and continued breastfeeding, as recommended by the World Health Organization and UNICEF (1), are cornerstones in infant nutrition. However, only limited information is available on the quantities of human milk consumed and the time of introduction of other foods into the infants’ diet, in particular in developing countries. The lack of information is, at least partly, due to the difficulties involved in measuring intake of human milk. By conventional technique, infants are weighed before and after each feed, “test weighing”. This technique is obviously time consuming and may disturb the normal feeding pattern. These practical problems can be overcome by using a stable isotope technique, the deuterium-oxide turnover method, as the normal feeding pattern is not influenced and the total volume of human milk, consumed by the baby over a period of 14 days, is measured. In addition, information about whether the infant has consumed water from other sources than human milk (representing intake of complementary foods or fluids) and the lactating mother’s body composition can be assessed based on total body water content. Furthermore, stable isotope technique can be used to evaluate the influence of feeding patterns on body composition of children during the first 2 years of life to contribute new information on the link between infant feeding and later risk of ill health. The overall aim of this CRP is to contribute new information on infant feeding practices and the influence of early feeding on body composition of young children in different settings. This CRP has a strong focus on training and education and will contribute to capacity building in nuclear techniques in nutrition by training of PhD students in developing countries.

Objectives

The overall objective is to contribute new information on infant feeding practices and body composition of infants and young children during the first 2 years of life

Specific objectives

Assess body composition of lactating mothers by stable isotope technique

Assess body composition of young children by stable isotope technique and other appropriate techniques

Assess feeding practices by stable isotope techniques in infants and young children (0-2 years) in different settings

Impact

1. Timely and unique evidence on objectively measured breastfeeding practices.
2. Results from this CRP have shown that the WHO estimates of human milk intake by breastfed infants, based on test weighing, may underestimate the true intake and therefore the recommendations for nutritional requirements of infants.
3. This CRP has contributed data toward an attempt to develop a streamlined method to identify exclusively breastfed infants in support of breastfeeding promotion.
3. Information has been provided that will be useful for policy and advocacy within countries and globally.
4. The capacity, skills and professional networks of key investigators and their institutions has been increased and the potential for future harmonisation, collaboration and research is well placed among participants in the CRP.
5. Data from this CRP was pooled and shared with NAHRES and is already included in the global database on infant and young child feeding practices.

Relevance

Appropriate nutrition during the first 1000 days has long term impact on health, productivity and human capacity. The CRP was aligned with the aim of the first 1000 days partnerships and will contribute to the Global Nutrition Targets 2025 in the Sustainable Development Goals, to increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months up to at least 50%.
The findings from this CRP will contribute to the global efforts to improve nutrition through appropriate infant feeding practices. In addition, it will provide information which is relevant for infant feeding in areas with high HIV prevalence.

CRP Publications

Type

Research Paper

Year

2015

Publication URL

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26594906

Description

Moodley-Govender E, Mulol H, Stauber J, Manary M, and Coutsoudis A. Increased Exclusivity of Breastfeeding Associated with Reduced Gut Inflammation in Infants. Breastfeeding Medicine,

Country/Organization

South Africa

Type

Research Paper

Year

2017

Publication URL

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28467097

Description

Oiye S, Mwanda W, Mugambi M, Filteau S, Owino V. Exclusive breastfeeding is more common among HIV-infected than HIV-uninfected Kenyan mothers at 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum. Breastfeeding Medicine

Country/Organization

Kenya

Type

Research Paper

Year

2017

Publication URL

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27319398

Description

Mulol H and Coutsoudis A. Association of 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding with higher fat-free mass in infants in a low-resource setting with high HIV prevalence in South Africa. Maternal and Child Nutrition

Country/Organization

South Africa

Type

Research Paper

Year

2015

Publication URL

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25943377

Description

Bandara T, Hettiarachchi M, Liyanage C, Amarasena S, Wong WW. Body composition among Sri Lankan infants by ¹8O dilution method and the validity of anthropometric equations to predict body fat against ¹8O dilution. BMC Pediatrics

Country/Organization

Sri Lanka

Type

Research Paper

Year

2016

Publication URL

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311738305_Study_on_the_fatty_acid_compo…

Description

Bandara T, Hettiarachchi M, Liyanage C, Amarasena S and Tomas T. Study on the fatty acid composition in breast milk during the period of exclusive breast feeding. Accepted for the 8th International Conference on Clinical Nutrition. Dubai 8-10 December 2016. J Nut Food Sci.

Country/Organization

Sri Lanka

Type

Congress abstract

Year

2017

Publication URL

https://www.karger.com/Journal/Issue/276842

Description

Deshmukh U, Thomas T, Swaminathan S, Kurpad A. Breastmilk intake and complementary feeding practices in infants and young children in urban and rural areas of India. PS _ 144/78, Pg 66. IUNS. 21st International Congress of Nutrition. Buenos Aires, Argentina, October 15-20, 2017: Abstracts. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism

Country/Organization

India

Type

Research Paper

Year

2016

Publication URL

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26862660

Description

Mulol H and Coutsoudis A. Breastmilk Output in a Disadvantaged Community with High HIV Prevalence as Determined by the Deuterium Oxide Dose-to-Mother Technique. Breastfeeding Medicine

Country/Organization

South Africa

Type

Congress abstract

Year

2017

Publication URL

https://www.karger.com/Journal/Issue/276842

Description

Deshmukh U, Thomas T, Swaminathan S, Kurpad A. Measurement Of Human Milk Intake Using Stable Isotope In Indian Rural Infants From Birth To 24 Months: A Longitudinal Study, 144/1755, Pg 273. IUNS. 21st International Congress of Nutrition. Buenos Aires, Argentina, October 15-20, 2017: Abstracts. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism

Country/Organization

India

Type

Research Paper

Year

2014

Description

Bandara T., Hettiarachchi C., Liyanage C., Amarasena S. (2014) Current infant feeding practices and impact on growth in babies during the second half of infancy. Journal of Human of Human Nutrition and Dietetics

Country/Organization

Sri Lanka

Type

Research Paper

Year

2015

Publication URL

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24976392

Description

Bandara T, Hettiarachchi M, Liyanage C and Amarasena S. Current infant feeding practices and impact on growth in babies during second half of infancy. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 28: 366-374.

Country/Organization

Sri Lanka

Type

Review Paper

Year

2017

Publication URL

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28347373

Description

Owino VO, Slater C, Loechl CU. Using stable isotope techniques in nutrition assessments and tracking of global targets post-2015. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society.

Country/Organization

IAEA Staff

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