The Fat Level in the Breast Milk and Its Association with Dietary Intake and Body Mass Index of Breastfeeding Mothers in Central Ethiopia, 2017

Human milk is not static; it is an invariant fluid that fluctuates in micro and macronutrient composition during feeding. The fat in human milk contributes above half the energy the infant demands. Moreover, fat is one of the most essential nutrients for brain tissue development during infancy. However, the effect of maternal nutritional status, including dietary intake, on human milk fat levels is not well investigated, particularly in developing nations. This study aimed to assess the level of human milk fat and its association with dietary consumption and BMI of the lactating mother in Burayyu Town, Oromia Region, Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 206 lactating mothers with infants aged between 2-9 months in Burayu Town, Oromia Region, Ethiopia. Data collection was completed from April 1-April 28, 2017, using the multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and standard measurement procedures, which included, among other things, nutritional status, BMI, and human milk, and repeated multiple pass 24-hour dietary recalls. The human milk sample was transported to the Holeta laboratory center by ice bag and stored at -20°C until Laboratory analysis. EPI data was applied for data entry, and 24-hour food recall was processed using Excel, Nutrition Survey, and IMAPP software. Then, it was exported to STATA version 14 for statistical analysis. A multivariable linear regression model was applied to determine the association between human milk fat level, dietary intake and BMI of lactating mothers by controlling other confounding factors. The mean (±SD) energy intake of lactating mothers was (1820.99 ± 399.98) Kcal, while the mean (±SD) of fat, protein, and carbohydrate intake of lactating mothers was found to be 43.49 ± 18.6 g/day, 89.95 ± 38 g/day and 275.58 ± 62.8 g/day respectively. The lactating mother's mean (±SD) human milk fat level was (3.03 ± 1.03) g/dl. This study did not find any significant association between human milk fat level with energy (β = 0.0002, 95% CI: -0.0004-0.0007), fat (β = -0.004, 95% CI: -0.018-0.009), protein (β = -0.0036, 95% CI: -0.011-0.0037), and carbohydrate intake (β = 0.003, 95% CI: -0.0003-0.006) respectively. Moreover, cesarean section delivery (β = -0.55825, 95% CI: -1.02954 - -0.08696) was inversely associated with human milk fat level. However, human milk fat level was positively associated with breastfeeding frequency (β = 0.074, 95% CI: 0.008-0.139), frequency of meat eating (β = 0.22123, 95% CI: 0.04681-0.39566), and early initiation of human milk (β = 0.19987, 95% CI: 0.03223-0.36751) respectively. Conclusion: Human milk fat content is pretty in the constant range (2-5 g/10 ml) and is not affected by maternal nutrition of energy intake, fat, carbohydrate, or BMI of the mother. It has a significantly positive association with the frequency of eating meat and feeding frequency. The mean human milk fat level is lower than that reported in other countries; however, it would fulfill most infant energy requirements.