LIPID-CONTENT AND ESSENTIAL FATTY-ACID (EFA) COMPOSITION OF MATURE CONGOLESE BREAST-MILK ARE INFLUENCED BY MOTHERS NUTRITIONAL-STATUS - IMPACT ON INFANTS EFA SUPPLY

Objective: To measure the Lipid content and the fatty acid IFA) compos ition of breast milk as part of a nutritional survey of the essential fatty acid (EFA) status of 5 months old Congolese infants. Design: Cro ss sectional nutrition survey. Setting: A suburban district of Brazzav ille (capital of the Congo). Subjects: A random sample of nursing moth ers and their 5 months old infants (n = 102). Data collection procedur es: The mothers were questionned on their socio-economic status, dieta ry habits, and their body mass index (BMI) was measured, Breast milk s amples were collected from each mother. Milk lipid content and fatty a cid composition were determined. Results: Compared with milk from vari ous countries, Congolese women's mature breast milk was low in lipid ( 28.70+/-11.33 g/L) but rich in 8:0-14:0 FAs (25.97+/-8.17% of total FA s) and in polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs), particularly n-3 PUFAs (2.39+/- 0.68% of total FAs, mainly 18:3 and 22:6). This was associated with th e frequent consumption of high-carbohydrate foods (processed cassava r oots, wheat bread, doughnuts) known to enhance 8:0-14:0 FA biosynthesi s, and with that of foods providing n-6 and n-3 EFAs such as freshwate r and saltwater fish, vegetable oil, green leafy vegetables, and high- fat fruit (peanuts, avocado, bushbutter), These foods were traditional ly and locally produced. Milk lipid content was negatively related wit h mothers' BMI (P < 0.01) and varied with the frequency of consumption of certain foods corresponding to distinct dietary patterns. Conclusi ons: Lipid content and FA composition of Congolese breast milk were de pendent on mother's nutritional status. However, despite an adequate E FA composition of breast milk, partially breast-fed 5 months old Congo lese infants probably did not get enough n-6 and n-3 EFAs from breast milk to meet their EFA requirements.