Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023 Dec 5;15(24):5016.
doi: 10.3390/nu15245016.

Understanding the Immunological Quality of Breast Milk in Maternal Overweight and Obesity

Anita Froń  1 , Magdalena Orczyk-Pawiłowicz  1
Affiliations
Review

Understanding the Immunological Quality of Breast Milk in Maternal Overweight and Obesity

Anita Froń et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Maternal obesity, affecting many pregnant women globally, not only poses immediate health risks but also modulates breast milk composition. Obesity is linked to inflammation and oxidative stress, impacting breast milk's immune properties. This paper explores the intricate relationship between maternal metabolic disorders, such as obesity, and breast milk's immunological components. We conducted a thorough search for original and review articles published until 17 October 2023 in the PUBMED/Scopus database. This search included several terms related to human breast milk, immunological properties, and obesity. Articles were selected with the consensus of all authors. Maternal metabolic disorders have discernible effects on the composition of immune-related components in breast milk, such as immunoglobulins, lactoferrin, leptin, ghrelin, adiponectin, C-reactive protein, growth factors, extracellular vesicles, and lymphocytes. These changes in breast milk composition can significantly impact the newborn's immune system, with potential long-term health implications beyond the immediate postnatal period. Maternal metabolic health is a critical factor in shaping the health trajectory of the neonate through breastfeeding, although the full advantages of breastfeeding for children of mothers with obesity remain uncertain. Ongoing research aims to understand and unravel these links.

Keywords: BMI; breast milk; breastfeeding; immune properties; maternal obesity; metabolic disorders.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Ygberg S., Nilsson A. The Developing Immune System—From Foetus to Toddler. Acta Paediatr. 2012;101:120–127. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2011.02494.x. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Pieren D.K.J., Boer M.C., de Wit J. The Adaptive Immune System in Early Life: The Shift Makes It Count. Front. Immunol. 2022;13:1031924. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1031924. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Basha S., Surendran N., Pichichero M. Immune Responses in Neonates. Expert Rev. Clin. Immunol. 2014;10:1171. doi: 10.1586/1744666X.2014.942288. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. World Health Organization & United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), editor. Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding. World Health Organization; Geneva, Switzerland: 2003. pp. 7–8.
    1. Lessen R., Kavanagh K. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Promoting and Supporting Breastfeeding. J. Acad. Nutr. Diet. 2015;115:444–449. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2014.12.014. - DOI - PubMed

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the Wroclaw Medical University, Poland (SUBZ.A411.23.084).