Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #61771
Title: BREAST-FED INFANTS UTILIZE DIETARY NITROGEN MORE EFFICIENTLY THAN FORMULA- FED INFANTS

Author
item MOTIL, KATHLEEN - BAYLOR COLL OF MEDICINE
item SHENG, HWAI-PING - BAYLOR COLL OF MEDICINE
item MONTANDON, CORINNE - BAYLOR COLL OF MEDICINE
item WONG, WILLIAM - BAYLOR COLL OF MEDICINE

Submitted to: Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/6/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Questions have been raised about growth differences in breast-fed infants compared with formula-fed infants. We hypothesized that the compositional changes of the growth patterns of breast-fed infants are like those of formula-fed infants because breast-fed infants use the nutrients in human milk more efficiently. We measured changes in 10 breast-fed and 10 formula-fed newborns at 6-week intervals during the first 24 weeks, and estimated the efficiency with fat. We found length and weight gains, lean body mass (LBM) and body fat accretion were similar in the two groups, despite much lower nitrogen and energy intakes by the breast-fed group. Also, the gross efficiency of use of dietary nitrogen for LBM in the breast-fed group nearly doubled that of formula-fed infants. This illustrates the tremendous biologic adaptability of human infants, who are equipped with mechanisms that promote normal growth during exclusive breastfeeding despite lower dietary intakes compared with formula feeding.

Technical Abstract: Although differences in growth and body composition between breast- and formula-fed infants have been reported, the data to support these observations are flawed because of the absence of concurrent measurements of actual dietary intakes. This study was undertaken to measure longitudinal changes in growth, body composition, and dietary intakes in breast- and formula-fed infants and to estimate the gross efficiency with which dietary nitrogen and energy were used for lean body mass (LBM) and body fat deposition. LBM and body fat were determined in 10 breast-fed and 10 formula-fed infants at 6-wk intervals during the first 24 wk of life by the 18O dilution technique. Dietary nitrogen and energy intakes were determined from the amount of milk and food consumed and the nutrient content of the feedings. The gross efficiency of nutrient utilization was calculated for each infant from the dietary intake and change in body composition over time. Length and weight gains and LBM and body fat accretion during the first 24 wk of life were similar between breast- and formula-fed infants, despite significantly lower nitrogen and energy intakes by the breast-fed group. Gender differences were evident in that males were heavier and tended to have greater deposition of LBM and body fat than females. The gross efficiency of dietary nitrogen utilization for LBM deposition was nearly twofold greater in breast- than in formula-fed infants, regardless of gender, whereas the efficiency of dietary energy utilization for LBM and body fat deposition was not significantly different between groups. This shows the biologic adaptability of human infants who are equipped with mechanisms that promote normal growth during exclusive breast-feeding despite lower dietary intakes compared with formula feeding.