Serum Lipids in Breast-Fed Infants and in Infants Fed Evaporated Milk

Abstract

Lipids and lipid-soluble vitamins were measured in the serum of mothers and newborn infants, breast-fed infants and infants fed evaporated milk. The concentrations of all the substances studied were significantly different in maternal serum then in cord blood serum, with the exception of tetraenoic fatty acids. The possible significance of this finding in placental function has not been explored. The serum concentrations of vitamin A, phospholipids, cholesterol and total fatty acids were low at birth, increased on both feeding regimens, and remained essentially unchanged throughout the first year of life. Serum tocopherol, carotene and the dienoic acid levels were low at birth but increased with breast feeding before the age of six weeks. This increase appeared to be related to a greater intake. At six months of age, after solid foods were added, these levels were similar in the infants fed evaporated milk; this was true also at eleven to fourteen months of age, after both groups had been on liberal diets. Although tetraenoic acid concentrations were high at birth the subsequent fall was less in the breast-fed infants than in those fed evaporated milk. The trienoic acids appeared to follow a pattern that was the reciprocal of the dienoic and tetraenoic acids.